Knockout European football is back on the menu tonight (5.45pm UK) as we face Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of our Champions League round of 16 tie in Germany.
We head to the BayArena for the first time in 24 years on the back of eight victories from our last nine European jaunts, against a side who have emerged victorious in just one of their previous six home games in the Champions League.
After winning all eight of our league phase games, we’ll be looking to stretch our longest winning run in the competition and ensure we’ll have a lead to protect when the Bundesliga side pitches up in N5 next Tuesday.
New-look Leverkusen languishing
After Xabi Alonso’s successful tenure ended last summer, Erik ten Hag lasted just three games at the helm – the fastest sacking in Bundesliga history – before ex-Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand was parachuted in. After a sluggish start, Leverkusen reached the winter break in third place, but have only won four of the 10 games since the restart to leave them in sixth, three points off Champions League qualification.
They finished 16th in the league phase with a mixed bag of results, including losing 7-2 at home to holders Paris Saint-Germain, beating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad and drawing 2-2 with Newcastle United with a late equaliser.
Having lost to Olympiacos in the league phase, they beat them 2-0 on aggregate to reach this stage. They have also reached the semi-finals of the German Cup, where Bayern Munich await – the side they’ll also tackle in the league between the two legs of our last 16 tie.
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Everything you need to know about Bayer Leverkusen
What the managers say
Arteta: “When you start the second part of the campaign and you know what is at stake. We start to play games where you are in or you are out, there is no margin for manoeuvre, and we’re going to face a very difficult contest tomorrow against a really good team.
“The only thing you can take is game by game and try tomorrow to be better than the opposition and earn the right to win. We always talk about that. Obviously we play so many games in different competitions – in the next three games we’re going to play in three different competitions, against completely different opponents. You have to adapt to that.” – every word from Mikel’s pre-match press conference
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Every word from Arteta’s pre-Leverkusen presser
Wheelman: “It’s always about looking at the opportunities for me. Things can happen in football. Arsenal are the clear favourites; they’re at the top of their game and have been building a strong team for years.
“We have 14 new players out of 25 from last season, but we’re building, learning and adapting, and the quality is improving. If we’re sharp, if we play at our best, everyone expresses themselves, and we play with courage – then who knows?”
Team news
Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori limped off in the FA Cup win at Mansfield Town on Saturday but both trained with their teammates on Tuesday before heading to Germany, as did William Saliba as he aims to return after missing the past couple of games with an ankle issue.
Declan Rice, Gabriel and Martin Zubimendi are all set to return after being rested on the weekend, but Martin Odegaard is still missing with a knee problem, Ben White has a muscle injury while Mikel Merino is out longer-term after foot surgery.
Piero Hincapie is available to face his parent club, while Christian Norgaard is one booking away from a one-game suspension.
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Inside Training: Locking in for Leverkusen
Hjulmand has a number of injury headaches to contend with, including top scorer Patrick Schick who has missed the past two games with a muscular injury. First-choice keeper Mark Flekken has a knee issue and is out, as are a trio of regular defenders – Arthur, Loic Bade and five-time Champions League winner Lucas Vazquez.
Ex-Arsenal academy product Nathan Tella (foot) and Eliesse Ben Seghir (ankle) are hopeful of returning soon, but this game may be too early for the pair.
Facts and stats
Bayer Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last three Champions League games, keeping a clean sheet in all three. They have never previously kept four consecutive shutouts in the competition.
We are the only team that hasn’t trailed at any point in the Champions League this season.
Leverkusen have progressed from four of their five major European knockout ties against English clubs, failing only against Liverpool in 2004/05.
The German side have won just one of their previous eight Champions League home games against English opposition, beating Chelsea in November 2011.
Leverkusen have conceded more shots from high turnovers (26) than any other side in the competition this season. Overall, only Qarabag (118) have conceded more total high turnovers (109).
43% of Bayer Leverkusen’s chances created in the Champions League this season have come from the left side; the highest percentage of any team. Indeed, left-wing back Alejandro Grimaldo has created 23, which is 12 more than any of his teammates.
Viktor Gyokeres has netted 10 goals in 14 Champions League appearances, four of which have been scored following a carry (travelling 5+ metres with the ball). Only Vinicius Junior (6), Raphinha and Lamine Yamal (both 5) have more goal-ending carries in the competition since the start of last season.
Gabriel Martinelli has scored six goals in this season’s Champions League, with Thierry Henry in 2002/03 (7) the last player to net more across a single campaign for us.
Aleix Garcia has averaged 16.6 line-breaking passes per 90 in the competition this season; the most by any midfielder (min. 300 minutes played).
Match officials
Umut Meler has been handed this game, and it is the first time we have crossed paths in over six years, when he refereed our 4-1 Europa League win over Molde. A referee in the Turkish top-flight since 2015, Meler has been FIFA-listed since 2017 and became a member of the UEFA Elite five years later.
It is his first Champions League game of the season, but it will be his 17th in total. In that time he has brandished just one red card and awarded eight penalties.
Referee: Umut Meler (TUR)
Assistants: Ibrahim Caglar Uyarcan, Abdullah Ozkara (TUR)
Fourth official: Cihan Aydin (TUR)
OUR: Rob Dieperink (NED)
Assistant VAR: Tiago Martins (POR)
Previous meetings with Leverkusen
We have only played Leverkusen twice in competitive action before, which came in the Champions League back in February 2002. We drew 1-1 at the BayArena after a last-minute Ulf Kirsten goal cancelled out Robert Pires’ opener after Ray Parlour was sent off.
A week later, we ran rampant at Highbury by cruising to a 4-1 victory. Pires and Thierry Henry netted in the first seven minutes, before Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp added further goals to the scoreline in the second half to put us on the brink of the quarter-finals.
We have only won one of our last six meetings with German opponents in the Champions League though, but that came in our most recent encounter via a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in November.
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Chips & wonder goals: Our history vs German giants
Live coverage
Tune into Live From N5 on The Arsenal app (download now on iOS/Android) just before kick-off to hear live commentary of the game provided by Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke, who will guide you through all the action if you’re out and about.
You can also find out which broadcasters are showing the game live wherever you are in the world.
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How to watch Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal live on TV
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