Champions League football returns to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night as Arsenal host Bayer Leverkusen in the decisive second leg of their last-16 tie.
The Gunners head into the clash with a slight advantage after salvaging a late draw in Germany, thanks to Kai Havertz’s composed penalty against his former club.
Arsenal looked set to leave the BayArena empty handed last week after struggling to break down a disciplined Leverkusen side. Robert Andrich’s header from a corner had given the hosts the lead, and Mikel Arteta’s men appeared short of ideas for much of the contest.
However, the Arsenal manager’s substitutions proved decisive. Noni Madueke injected urgency into the attack after replacing Bukayo Saka and won a crucial late penalty, which Havertz calmly converted to level the tie.
That equaliser could prove pivotal, as Arsenal now return home with momentum and a strong record at the Emirates. The North London club have lost just one of their last 22 UEFA matches on home soil, underlining how difficult they are to beat in front of their fans.
Confidence is also high following a 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton at the weekend. Viktor Gyokeres opened the scoring before young talent Max Dowman grabbed the headlines with a historic goal, helping Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, are proving difficult to beat but equally hard to trust for victories. Their 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on Saturday continued a run that has seen five of their last six matches end in stalemates.
While that resilience has kept them competitive, it poses a problem heading into this second leg, another draw would not be enough to progress unless they force extra time and penalties.
The German side have lost just once in their last 14 matches across all competitions, but their away form raises concerns, with only four wins from their last 10 on the road.
History also favours Arsenal. Leverkusen are winless in their last three meetings with the Gunners, and their only previous visit to the Emirates ended in a heavy 4-1 defeat during pre-season in 2024.
Team News
Arsenal’s preparations have been slightly disrupted by injuries. Jurrien Timber has been ruled out, joining Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino on the sidelines.Leandro Trossard is expected to return from a minor knock, while Arteta faces a few tactical decisions in attack. Gyokeres is likely to lead the line after starting on the bench at the weekend, while Havertz could operate in a more advanced midfield role.
Bukayo Saka may be deployed centrally again, which would allow Madueke to start on the right wing after his impactful cameo in the first leg.
For Leverkusen, there were injury concerns following the Bayern Munich draw, as Aleix Garcia and Martin Terrier were both forced off. However, both players have returned to training and are expected to be available.
Eliesse Ben Seghir is also back in contention, but the visitors remain without several key players, including Mark Flekken, Loic Bade, Arthur, and Lucas Vazquez. Alejandro Grimaldo, however, returns after serving a domestic suspension.
Possible Line-Ups
Arsenal:Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Saka, Martinelli; Gyokeres
Bayer Leverkusen:
Blaswich; Andrich, Quansah, Tapsoba; Poku, Fernandez, Palacios, Grimaldo; Maza, Terrier; Kofane
Prediction
Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen
