Arsenal ready to bottle Champions League title hopes amid historic Bayer Leverkusen reveal
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Credit: Manh Tung - Breaking Media Arsenal ready to bottle Champions League title hopes amid historic Bayer Leverkusen reveal Fri 27 February 2026 14:00, UK Arsenal have a much simpler run to the Champions League final than many expected, but there are still multiple hurdles to overcome.Mikel Arteta‘s side are also battling Man City for the Premier League title this season, with a quadruple on the cards in North London, which is much-needed for the manager.Having not lifted a trophy since the 2019-20 FA Cup, Arteta and Arsenal are under pressure to bring home silverware, which is even more possible in Europe thanks to the latest draw.PSG, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Man City and Bayern Munich are all on the opposite side of the competition, with the Gunners taking on either Bodo/Glimt or Sporting CP in the next round.Read more: This is why Keith Wyness expects a “falter” in the Premier League title race.Arsenal must not underestimate their Champions League opponentsThat is, of course, if Arteta’s side can bypass the team sitting sixth in the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen, in the Champions League round of 16, and that is anything but a simple fixture.While the North London club are by far the more in-form team this season, having lost just one of their last 23 games across all competitions, Kasper Hjulmand’s side are not to be underestimated. MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES In fact, Leverkusen in general should not be underestimated, especially when it comes to playing in Europe, with the German giants never ones to back down to an English team.1 – Bayer Leverkusen have progressed from four of their five of their major European knockout ties against English clubs, but the one side to knock them out – Liverpool in the 2004-05 UEFA Champions League – went on to win the trophy that season.
History. pic.twitter.com/WnoSuzHJD9— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 27, 2026 View Tweet According to Opta, Leverkusen have progressed from four of their five major European knockout ties against English clubs, only losing to Liverpool in the 2004-05 season, when the Reds went on to win the entire thing.Read more: Declan Rice to blame his Arsenal teammates for Premier League title defeat.Who else have Bayer Leverkusen knocked out of European knockouts?Dating back to the 2001-02 season, Leverkusen knocked out both Arsenal and Liverpool on their way to the final, having also beaten Man United in the semi-final that same campaign.Then, having become a sleeping giant, West Ham would become their next victims, knocking the Hammers out of the Europa League quarter-finals of the 2023-24 season.At their very best, the Gunners are unlikely to succumb to the same fate, but in the Champions League, absolutely anything is possible.If Arteta’s players aren’t focusing across both legs, the Premier League leaders could find themselves knocked out of Europe on the easy side of the draw.