Arsenal visit Bayer Leverkusen tonight for the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie, with Mikel Arteta balancing the return of key defenders against a disciplined German side that recently defeated Manchester City.
Arsenal arrive at the BayArena as favorites following a flawless group stage, but Mikel Arteta has warned his side against complacency.
With Martin Ødegaard still sidelined, the Gunners are boosted by the availability of William Saliba and Ben White.
Arteta noted the difficulty of the fixture, acknowledging Leverkusen’s strength at home, where they previously drew with Newcastle and defeated Villarreal during this campaign.
The match features significant “homecomings” for Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapié, the latter currently on loan at Arsenal from the German club.
Leverkusen, managed by Kasper Hjulmand, are expected to utilize a compact back-three system spearheaded by Alejandro Grimaldo.
Despite fatigue concerns for the hosts, Arteta remains cautious, knowing that a poor tactical display could leave the Premier League leaders with a mountain to climb.