Arsenal booked their place in the last four of the Europa League after thrashing Slavia Prague 4-0 in the second leg of their quarter-final encounter on Thursday night.

The Gunners found themselves in a difficult position after being forced to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates last week but got themselves back on track with an early goal.

Nicolas Pépé picked up from where he stopped in the first leg by scoring the opener again, this time in the 18th minute but the hosts had no answer to the Gunners’ questions.

Alexandre Lacazette made it 2-0 in the 21st-minute with a composed penalty finish after Bukayo Saka was brought down by Jakub Hromada.

Saka then made it 3-0 three minutes later to compound the hosts’ misery before Lacazette bagged his second of the game to make it 5-1 on aggregate after a quick counter by Arsenal, with Saka finding Pepe down the right-wing.

Mikel Arteta’s men would face Villareal in the semifinals later this month.

Villareal knocked out Dinamo Zagreb in the last eight of the competition after a 2-1 home win to win 3-1 on aggregate.

Paco Alcácer scored a 36th-minute opener for the Yellow Submarine, who won 1-0 away last week before Gerard Moreno made it 2-0 for the hosts before the break.

Mislav Oršić got a consolation goal for the visitors in the 74th-minute but it wasn’t enough to secure them a place in the last four of the competition.