Germans Face Tough Task in London
CL football returns to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night as Arsenal host Bayer Leverkusen in the decisive second leg of their Round of 16 tie. The first meeting in Germany appeared to be slipping away from the PL leaders before Kai Havertz rescued a 1–1 draw late on against his former club, leaving Arsenal in control of the tie ahead of the return fixture in North London.
Match Analysis
Arsenal came close to suffering defeat in the first leg at the BayArena. Bayer Leverkusen had done an excellent job of restricting Mikel Arteta’s attack for most of the match, and Robert Andrich’s headed goal from a corner looked set to give the German side the advantage.
However, two late tactical changes altered the outcome. Noni Madueke replaced Bukayo Saka and immediately made an impact, winning a penalty that Havertz converted calmly to secure a valuable equaliser.
The goal ensured Arsenal remain strong favourites to reach the quarter-finals for the third consecutive season, although it also ended their perfect winning record in this season’s CL.
The Emirates has become a formidable venue in European competition. Arsenal have lost only one of their last 22 European matches at home, a defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s semi-final.
Arteta’s side arrive in good domestic form as well. On Saturday they defeated Everton 2–0 in the PL, with both goals coming late in the match from two subs. That victory moved Arsenal nine points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table.
Leverkusen are also involved in a title race of their own. The gap between first and second in the German league currently also stands at nine points, and Kasper Hjulmand’s side contributed to that situation with a 1–1 draw against Bayern Munich on Saturday.
The champions were helped by Bayern being reduced to nine players following red cards for Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson, but the result also extended Leverkusen’s run of draws.
In fact, five of Leverkusen’s last six matches in all competitions have ended level. While that consistency has limited defeats — they have lost only one of their last 14 games — another draw would not be enough to progress in North London.
Their away form also provides mixed signals. Leverkusen have recorded four wins from their last 10 matches on the road, and they are also without a win in three competitive meetings with Arsenal. Their only previous visit to the Emirates came during pre-season in 2024, when they suffered a 4–1 defeat under then-manager Xabi Alonso.
Team News
Arsenal’s victory over Everton was overshadowed slightly by an injury to Jurrien Timber, who was forced off during the first half. His availability for Tuesday remains uncertain.
Their captain and Leandro Trossard are also doubts, while Mikel Merino is definitely unavailable as he continues to recover from a foot injury.
Havertz started the weekend match after scoring in Germany but did not add to his tally, which could see Viktor Gyokeres return as the central striker.
Havertz may instead be used in the number 10 role, where Eberechi Eze has struggled recently. Another option would be restoring Bukayo Saka in that position while allowing Noni Madueke to operate on the right flank.
Leverkusen also picked up fresh injury concerns in their match against Bayern Munich. Aleix Garcia suffered a head injury and Martin Terrier was forced off with an ankle problem.
If Garcia enters concussion protocols he is expected to miss the second leg, while Hjulmand remains hopeful that Terrier will recover in time.
The German side remain without Mark Flekken (knee), Loic Bade (hamstring), Arthur (ligament), Lucas Vazquez (calf) and Eliesse Ben Seghir (ankle).
However, Alejandro Grimaldo will return after serving a domestic suspension.
Odds and Tips
Arsenal have been extremely reliable at home recently, winning six consecutive matches at the Emirates in all competitions while keeping clean sheets in four of their last five games.
Leverkusen’s defensive organisation and recent run of draws suggest this could be a tight contest, but the hosts appear well positioned to edge the tie.
Tip: Arsenal win at 1.28.
Please note that the odds might have changed since the writing and/or publication of this article.
Last updated: 16.03.26
