We kick off another massive week attempting to book our spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the third successive season when Bayer Leverkusen come to N5 (8pm UK).
After last week’s 1-1 draw in Germany, the tie is finely poised ahead of the deciding leg but history says that after avoiding defeat away from home in the first leg, we have progressed from 17 of our 20 two-legged knockout stage ties in major European competition.
Just like in the dramatic final stages of Saturday’s late win against Everton, we’ll be hoping that the home advantage we worked so hard to obtain in the league phase will provide dividends again, as aim to set up a last-eight meeting with either Bodo/Glimt or Sporting Lisbon.
LEVERKUSEN LEVEL AGAIN
After we bid farewell to Leverkusen, the German club were in action again on Saturday against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
Despite taking an early lead thanks to a sixth-minute Aleix Garcia goal and the visitors having both Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson sent off, the former’s equaliser before his dismissal means that Kasper Hjulmand's team have drawn five of their last six in all competitions.
That hard-to-beat mentality has seen Leverkusen lose just one of their last 14 games, but on the road they have won just four wins from their last 10. One of those was their 2-0 play-off win against Olympiacos last month, which was also the only time they have won outside their hometown in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Read more Everything you need to know about Bayer Leverkusen
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Arteta: “Watching them play against Bayern Munich at the weekend, it’s very similar [to last week]. So again, they’re really well coached, a team with a very clear structure, really good individuals.
“We are in the stage, in the competition that we are in right now, so we know what we have to do, and in front of our crowd, with our people, putting all the energy in the world again, hopefully we are going to do it.”
Read more Every word from Arteta's pre-Leverkusen presser
Hjulmand: "If we push ourselves to the limit, if we reach our true level, if we deliver a structured performance and show everything we're capable of, then we're at a high level. And the good news is, we've only just begun.
"As a player, you never know how many chances you'll get on this stage. It's important to live in the moment and try to make the most of it. All the hard work, all the matches you've played, all the training sessions you've completed – you have to use that now."
TEAM NEWS
Jurrien Timber came off in the first half of the win against Everton and will miss this game, while Martin Odegaard is also still not fit enough to feature as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
However Leandro Trossard is back after missing the past couple of games with a hip problem, while Mikel Merino remains out with a foot injury.
Hjulmand continues to contend with a number of injury headaches, with Saturday’s goalscorer Garcia picking up a potential concussion against Bayern, while Martin Terrier hurt an ankle in the same game but is expected to recover.
First-choice keeper Mark Flekken has a knee issue and is out once again, as are a trio of regular defenders - Arthur, Loic Bade and five-time Champions League winner Lucas Vazquez. Ex-Arsenal academy product Nathan Tella did return off the bench after a foot issue, but winger Eliesse Ben Seghir is still attempting to get back after his own ankle issue.
Read more Go Inside Training ahead of Leverkusen showdown
TALKING TACTICS
Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme: Hujlmand uses a 3-4-2-1 that expands into a bolder 3-2-5 with the wing-backs pushed on high and wide, while out of possession it reverts into a 5-4-1.
They pop the ball around all over the pitch with Garcia pulling the strings. This confidence in possession means Leverkusen are also happy to play out from the back, taking risks in a bid to slice through the opposition press. They also like to move the ball wide as often as possible, stretching the game out.
Left-sided Alejandro Grimaldo [above] is capable of scoring from free kicks or from long range, while Algerian youngster Ibrahim Maza takes up lovely positions in pockets of space between the lines, and carries the ball with authority.
In the first leg they retreated behind the ball for much of the contest, keeping a very disciplined shape. Their mid-to-low block is not easy to break down, so it is vital we move the ball around with speed and intensity. However, after the league phase Leverkusen had conceded more shots from high turnovers than anyone else, so, if we press well there is every chance we can force mistakes.
FACTS AND STATS
We remain unbeaten against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, with our one victory over them coming on the only occasion they have hosted the German side: 4-1 at Highbury in February 2002.
Leverkusen have lost eight of their 11 away games against English sides in the Champions League, but have won on two of their three most recent trips, including a 2-0 win at Manchester City in the league phase this season.
We have won 13 of our 16 home games under Mikel Arteta in the Champions League, with our only defeat coming in last season’s semi-finals against PSG, who are the only visiting team to have kept a clean sheet across those matches.
Leverkusen are looking to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for just the third time, and first since the 2001/02 edition when they finished as runners-up.
Leverkusen’s opener in the first leg was the 23rd opposition corner we have faced in the Champions League this season, and the first we have conceded from. Indeed, it was only the third time from the 23 corners that our opponent had managed a shot on the first attacking contact.
Only Real Madrid’s Arda Guler (29) has created more chances than Alejandro Grimaldo (26) in the Champions League this season.
Bukayo Saka has had a direct hand in 13 goals across his 12 Champions League appearances at the Emirates (8 goals, 5 assists).
MATCH OFFICIALS
Danny Makkelie fronts an all-Dutch officiating team, the first time he has refereed us since we were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Bayern Munich three years ago. He also oversaw our 4-2 Europa League semi-final success over Valencia in 2019, while his only other game at Emirates Stadium saw us beat Basel in the Champions League in 2016.
A police inspector by day, Makkelie refereed the 2019/20 Europa League final, and officiated at Euro 2020 and 2024, as well as the 2022 World Cup. He awarded England a controversial penalty in the semi-final of Euro 2020 against Denmark, then managed by now-Leverkusen boss Hjulmand.
Referee: Danny MakkelieAssistants: Hessel Steegstra, Jan de VriesFourth official: Allard LindhoutVAR: Dennis HiglerAssistant VAR: Pol van Boekel
Previous meetings with Leverkusen
Before last week's first leg, we had 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 seven meetings with German opponents in the Champions League though, but that came in our most recent encounter at Emirates Stadium via a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in November.
Read more Chips & wonder goals: Our history vs German giants
LIVE COVERAGE
Ahead of another big name in north London, we’ve got another packed Live From N5 show for you to enjoy on Arsenal.com and The Arsenal from 75 minutes before kick-off.
Femi Koleoso and Adrian Clarke will be pitchside to dissect the team news and look back at a huge moment in our season last Saturday, before Nicole Holliday and Jeremie Aliadiere pick up in the Live from N5 studio when they’ll be joined by former Gunner Alexandre Lacazette.
A host of guests from the world of entertainment including DJ Sonny Fodera will also pop by, and after the usual fun and games, live commentary of the on-field action will be provided by Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke.
Read more How to watch Arsenal v Bayer Leverkusen live on TV
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