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Arne Slot has sucked the life and enjoyment out of this team

While I agree he has not been great, today is on the players. I have never seen a worse performance like the one today. That was even worse than the first meeting against them.

Babayega said:

Arne Slot has sucked the life and enjoyment out of this team

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Two modern-day “Invincibles” of European football meet on Wednesday night as Bayer Leverkusen host Arsenal at the BayArena in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie in the UEFA Champions League.

Leverkusen famously went through the 2023–24 Bundesliga campaign unbeaten, while Arsenal achieved the same feat in the Premier League during the legendary 2003–04 season. Now, the two sides meet with a place in the quarterfinals on the line.

Arsenal were one of the standout teams in the Champions League league phase. Under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta, the Gunners won all eight of their matches to finish top of the table in dominant fashion.

During that run, Arsenal defeated several high-profile opponents including Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. They also finished the league phase with the best attacking and defensive record, scoring 23 goals while conceding just four.

With a favourable knockout draw that keeps them away from giants like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City until potentially the final, expectations are growing that Arsenal could finally lift their first Champions League trophy.

Arteta’s side continue to perform strongly across competitions as they chase a historic quadruple. Despite criticism from some rivals about their tactical time management and heavy reliance on set pieces, Arsenal’s results have continued to speak for themselves.

The North London club arrive in Germany on the back of four consecutive victories in all competitions. Their most recent result saw a rotated Arsenal team defeat Mansfield Town 2-1 in the FA Cup, extending an impressive run that has seen them score at least twice in eight of their last 11 away games.

Leverkusen’s remarkable unbeaten Bundesliga title run under Xabi Alonso last season was one of the biggest stories in European football. However, the German side have struggled to maintain the same dominance this campaign.

Following a turbulent period that included a disappointing spell under Erik ten Hag, former Denmark national team coach Kasper Hjulmand has since taken charge and helped steady the club both domestically and in Europe.

Leverkusen finished 16th in the Champions League league phase but managed to reach the knockout rounds through the playoff stage. A 2-0 away victory over Olympiacos in the first leg gave them control of the tie, before a goalless draw at home confirmed their place in the last 16.

Recent form has been inconsistent, though. Leverkusen have won just one of their last five matches in all competitions and were involved in an entertaining 3-3 draw with SC Freiburg in their latest Bundesliga outing.

Despite those struggles, their home form remains encouraging. Hjulmand’s team are unbeaten in their last six matches at the BayArena and have conceded only one goal across those games.

Historically, Leverkusen held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw in Germany during the 2002 Champions League campaign. However, Arsenal have since recorded two commanding 4-1 wins against the German side — once later in that same season and again during a pre-season encounter in 2024.

Team News​

Arsenal rested several key players during the FA Cup win over Mansfield, including goalkeeper David Raya, midfielder Martin Zubimendi, and England international Declan Rice. All are expected to return to the starting lineup.

Defender William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori and forward Leandro Trossard have also trained ahead of the match, although captain Martin Odegaard remains unavailable with a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen are dealing with several injury concerns. Goalkeeper Mark Flekken and defender Loic Bade are among those sidelined, while attackers Nathan Tella and Eliesse Ben Seghir are also unavailable.

Striker Patrik Schick is close to returning from a muscular issue but may start on the bench. Instead, teenage forward Christian Kofane is expected to lead the attack.

In defence, former Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah could start in the middle of Leverkusen’s back three, while wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo remains a major threat from set pieces.

Possible Starting Lineups​

Bayer Leverkusen:
Blaswich; Andrich, Quansah, Tapsoba; Poku, Garcia, Fernandez, Grimaldo; Maza, Terrier; Kofane

Arsenal:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Eze, Martinelli; Gyokeres

Expert Prediction

One of European football’s most intense modern rivalries resumes on Wednesday night when Real Madrid host Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the first leg of their round-of-16 showdown in the UEFA Champions League.

This will be the 16th meeting between the two heavyweights in the competition and remarkably the fifth consecutive season they have faced each other in the knockout stages, underlining how dominant both clubs have been in Europe in recent years.

Spanish giants Real Madrid are chasing a record-extending 16th Champions League title this season, but their journey to the knockout rounds was far from straightforward.

The team managed by Alvaro Arbeloa finished ninth in the league phase, just behind Manchester City, after losing three of their final five matches. Their fate was sealed by a 4-2 defeat to Benfica on the final matchday.

However, Los Blancos responded well in the playoff round, defeating Benfica 3-1 on aggregate to secure their place in the last 16. That progression means Madrid have now reached this stage of the competition for an incredible 23 consecutive seasons since the round was introduced in 2003–04.

Domestic form has been slightly inconsistent. A surprise 1-0 loss to Getafe was followed by a dramatic 2-1 victory away at Celta Vigo last Friday. Captain Federico Valverde scored a stoppage-time winner in the 95th minute to keep Madrid within four points of league leaders Barcelona.

Returning to the Bernabéu will give them confidence. Madrid have won four of their five Champions League home matches this season, scoring 12 goals along the way. Their only defeat came against Manchester City during the league phase, when goals from Erling Haaland and Nico O'Reilly secured a 2-1 win for the English champions.

Despite that loss, Real Madrid have an impressive home record in Europe, losing just three of their last 25 Champions League matches on home soil.
Manchester City had a much smoother route into the knockout stages this time around. After finishing only 22nd in the league phase last season, the side managed by Pep Guardiola collected 16 points from eight matches to qualify automatically for the round of 16.

City’s league phase included wins over Napoli, Villarreal, Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray, while their victory in Madrid was one of the standout results of the campaign.

Since that win, the Citizens have been strong domestically as well. They have won seven of their last nine matches across competitions, although a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League slowed their title charge.

Guardiola’s side responded positively by defeating Newcastle United 3-1 in the FA Cup fifth round over the weekend.

Wednesday’s match will also mark Guardiola’s 190th Champions League game as a manager, bringing him level with legendary former Alex Ferguson.

City’s recent away record in Europe is less convincing, though, with just two wins from their last eight Champions League matches on the road.

Team News​

Real Madrid have several major injury concerns heading into the tie. Star forward Kylian Mbappé and midfield talisman Jude Bellingham are both expected to miss the match through injury.

They join a lengthy absentee list that includes Rodrygo, Éder Militão, Dani Ceballos and Álvaro Carreras.

There is better news for Eduardo Camavinga, who has recovered from a dental issue and should return to the starting lineup alongside Aurélien Tchouaméni and Valverde in midfield.

In attack, Vinícius Júnior is expected to start on the left flank despite failing to score in his last six meetings with Manchester City.

Manchester City have fewer injury concerns. Defenders Joško Gvardiol and Rico Lewis remain sidelined, while midfielder Mateo Kovačić is also unavailable.

Haaland, who was rested in the FA Cup win over Newcastle, is expected to return to lead the attack. The Norwegian striker boasts a phenomenal Champions League record with 56 goals in 56 appearances.

Possible Starting Lineups​

Real Madrid:
Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Guler; G. Garcia, Vinicius Jr

Manchester City:
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Rodri, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Haaland, Marmoush

Expert Prediction​

Tap to see our prediction

Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City

With their push for a top four finish intensifying, Liverpool travel to Molineux on Tuesday knowing that anything less than victory over basement side Wolverhampton Wanderers would represent a significant setback in the Champions League race.

The Merseysiders sit fifth in the Premier League table on 48 points after a 5-2 win over West Ham United at the weekend. Wolves, meanwhile, remain rooted to the foot of the standings with just 13 points, though their 2-0 triumph against Aston Villa on Friday offered a rare but welcome highlight in a difficult campaign.

Few anticipated Wolves taking maximum points from Villa, but their victory underlined a curious trend: they have now taken points off three of the division’s current top four. Despite enduring a torrid season, the Midlands outfit have demonstrated an ability to frustrate elite opposition on occasion.

Their tally of 13 points at least spares them from unwanted historical infamy. That record still belongs to Derby County, who collected just 11 points during the 2007-08 Premier League season. Wolves are unlikely to escape relegation, but there have been signs of incremental improvement under head coach Rob Edwards.

Across his last 11 league matches in charge, Edwards has overseen two wins, five draws and four defeats — hardly transformative, yet competitive enough to suggest that Wolves are no longer pushovers. The Old Gold have failed to score in five of their last eight league fixtures, conceding 10 times in that stretch, but they have also kept three clean sheets — evidence of greater defensive organization.

Molineux has not exactly become a fortress, but Wolves have found relative comfort on home soil. They have taken eight points from the last 18 available there, a modest return but one that indicates Liverpool cannot afford complacency.

As for the visitors, their 5-2 victory over West Ham was emphatic on the scoreboard but more nuanced in performance metrics. The Hammers matched Liverpool for big chances, produced a similar expected goals return and even edged possession at Anfield. However, clinical execution — particularly from set pieces — proved decisive.

Head coach Arne Slot highlighted the importance of dead-ball situations after the match, with Liverpool scoring their first three goals from corners. In fact, the Reds set a Premier League record for consecutive non-penalty set-piece goals with seven, underlining a newly sharpened edge in that department.

Defensively, there has also been improvement. While they conceded twice against West Ham, Liverpool had kept three straight clean sheets beforehand and have scored at least twice in six of their last nine outings in all competitions.

They will aim to extend their winning streak against Wolves to seven matches. Notably, however, the last three meetings have all finished 2-1 in Liverpool’s favour, including the reverse fixture in December 2025. Despite the gulf in league position, recent head-to-head encounters suggest Wolves can keep things competitive.

Momentum is firmly with Slot’s side. They arrive at Molineux on a four-match winning run and have triumphed in six of their last seven matches across all competitions. Their away form has also been strong, with just one defeat in their previous 10 games on the road, six of which ended in victory.

Team news​

Wolves are expected to persist with a back three of Toti Gomes, Santiago Bueno and Yerson Mosquera in front of goalkeeper Jose Sa. Teenager Mateus Mane should retain his place after impressing in attacking areas, while Angel Gomes may partner Joao Gomes in midfield following Andre’s injury.

Liverpool are likely to be without Florian Wirtz, whom Slot has indicated is unlikely to recover in time. That would see Dominik Szoboszlai continue in the number 10 role. Despite mixed recent form, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo are expected to keep their places, supporting striker Hugo Ekitike.

Jeremie Frimpong, having returned from injury against West Ham, could be handed a start as he works towards full match fitness ahead of the season’s decisive phase.

Possible starting XIs​

Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Sa; Mosquera, S Bueno, T Gomes; Tchatchoua, A Gomes, J Gomes, H Bueno; Bellegarde, Mane; Armstrong

Liverpool:
Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Salah; Ekitike

With Champions League qualification hanging in the balance, Liverpool cannot afford a slip against the league’s bottom side. Yet Wolves’ recent resilience — particularly against stronger opponents — ensures that Tuesday’s contest at Molineux may prove more testing than the table suggests.

EXPERT PREDICTION

Cristiano Ronaldo's £61million private jet left Saudi Arabia in the middle of the night in a sign that the football superstar could have fled amid escalating conflict.

Riyadh, where Ronaldo, 41, lives with partner Georgina Rodriguez and his five children, has been targeted by Iran in retaliation for the wave of attacks by the US and Israel that began on Saturday.

The US embassy in the Saudi capital was hit by two drones overnight, and Iranian state media claimed a command and staff building in Bahrain had also been destroyed.

Foreign nationals are fleeing the Middle East in their droves and details of Ronaldo's jet travelling to Madrid emerged online.

A flight tracker shows the Bombardier Global Express plane made the almost seven-hour journey to the Spanish capital.

The luxury private jet departed at 8pm Saudi time and arrived at almost 1am Spanish time.

The 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 draw in full:

Real Madrid vs. Man City
Bodø/Glimt vs. Sporting
PSG vs. Chelsea
Newcastle vs. Barcelona
Galatasaray vs. Liverpool
Atletico Madrid vs. Tottenham
Atalanta vs. Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Arsenal

Seeking to keep their Champions League ambitions alive, Liverpool host relegation-threatened West Ham United at Anfield in Saturday’s Premier League encounter. The Hammers, meanwhile, arrive on Merseyside looking to avenge a 2-0 home defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

Liverpool’s season has been defined by late drama. No Premier League side has been involved in more goals scored in the 90th minute or later than the Reds (13), with nine of those strikes directly altering match outcomes. Crucially, three of their victories have arrived in stoppage time.

Their latest came courtesy of Alexis Mac Allister, whose 97th-minute winner sealed a 1-0 triumph away at Nottingham Forest F.C.. It was a gritty performance from Arne Slot’s men, particularly after seeing an earlier effort ruled out by VAR.

Twelve months ago, Liverpool were cruising toward the title. Now, the landscape is markedly different. They sit sixth after 27 matches, level on points with Chelsea F.C. and three adrift of Manchester United F.C. in fourth. Defensive solidity has improved recently, though, with consecutive 1-0 league wins over Forest and Sunderland A.F.C..

Historically, this fixture favours Liverpool. They have lost just one of their last 19 top-flight meetings with West Ham (15 wins, three draws) and have won seven of the last eight since a 3-2 defeat in November 2021.

West Ham’s survival hopes, however, have gained momentum. Eleven points from their last six league games have revitalised their campaign. A 2-0 win at Burnley F.C. was followed by draws against Manchester United and AFC Bournemouth, leaving them 18th but just two points from safety.

An interesting tactical dynamic emerges in goal distribution patterns. West Ham have scored 59% of their league goals in the first half (19/32), the highest proportion in the division. Liverpool, by contrast, have scored just 31% of their goals before halftime — the lowest share league-wide. A strong opening period could therefore be decisive for the visitors.

Yet Anfield has historically been unforgiving territory. West Ham have won just once in their last 52 Premier League away games against Liverpool — a 3-0 success in August 2015 under Slaven Bilić. Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has also endured eight Premier League defeats against Liverpool, more than versus any other opponent.

Team News​

Liverpool remain without Alexander Isak (leg), Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni (both knee), while Wataru Endo is sidelined with an ankle issue. There is optimism, however, surrounding the availability of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong.

Wirtz withdrew before kickoff against Forest but is expected to return to his preferred No.10 role. Frimpong’s fitness will be assessed, meaning Dominik Szoboszlai may again deputise at right-back if required.

Up front, Mohamed Salah’s drought — nine league matches without a goal — is becoming a subplot, while Hugo Ekitike has struggled for consistency. Cody Gakpo faces competition from teenage prospect Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa for a starting berth.

West Ham will be without suspended Freddie Potts. Pablo Felipe (calf) and Lukasz Fabianski (back) remain unavailable. Nuno could opt for a back five, potentially reinstating Jean-Clair Todibo alongside Konstantinos Mavropanos and Axel Disasi. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf may operate as wing-backs.

In midfield, Mateus Fernandes, Tomas Soucek and Soungoutou Magassa are competing for places, while Crysencio Summerville and captain Jarrod Bowen are expected to support striker Valentin Castellanos, who recently opened his Premier League account at Burnley.

Possible Starting Lineups​

Liverpool:
Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike

West Ham:
Hermansen; Todibo, Mavropanos, Disasi; Wan-Bissaka, Fernandes, Magassa, Diouf; Bowen, Summerville; Castellanos

Prediction​

According to reports, Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni wants to SUE Kylian Mbappé for calling him a 'f*cking racist' and for his statements after the scandal with Vinícius.

The Argentine footballer is also said to be taking legal action against other Real Madrid players.