Arsenal favourites against Leverkusen in Champions League last 16

Wednesday’s Champions League action sees Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea meet for the first time since last year’s Club World Cup final, while Real Madrid host Manchester City in the first leg of their last-16 tie as the sides clash in a knockout tie for the fifth season running:

– Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal –

Premier League leaders Arsenal, who have never been crowned European champions, remain on track for four trophies this season as they chase their first major silverware since 2020.

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Mikel Arteta’s men won all eight matches in the league phase to cruise into the last 16, where success against Leverkusen will set up a tie against Bodo/Glimt or Sporting.

Central defender William Saliba has missed Arsenal’s past two matches with an ankle issue but could be back here.

Currently sixth in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen are still rebuilding after a tumultuous summer in which they lost coach Xabi Alonso and several players including Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka and new Gunner Piero Hincapie.

“We’re strong at home. We have a chance there – we can win there,” Alejandro Grimaldo said Saturday.

Remarkably, Leverkusen’s win against Olympiacos in the play-off round was their first victory in a Champions League knockout tie since 2002, when they reached the final before losing to a Zinedine Zidane-inspired Real Madrid.

– PSG v Chelsea –

PSG are wobbling as the reigning European champions put their title on the line against Chelsea in the first meeting of the teams since the London side won 3-0 in last July’s Club World Cup final.

Luis Enrique’s PSG edged past Ligue 1 rivals Monaco in the play-off round and lost to the principality side on Friday as their lead at the top of the French table from Lens was cut to one point.

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The Parisians are a long way off the scintillating form they showed in the second half of last season, with Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele one of several players struggling for fitness — he is expected to be available here, however.

PSG will also be wary of Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior, who did well against them in his 18 months in charge of Strasbourg.

Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens are nearing a return for Chelsea but neither were risked in Saturday’s 4-2 win against Wrexham in the FA Cup and it is unclear if they will feature here.

Chelsea reignited their chase for Champions League qualification for next season last midweek as Joao Pedro’s hat-trick inspired a 4-1 win at Aston Villa.

– Real Madrid v Man City –

Alvaro Arbeloa’s record 15-time European champions stumbled at home against Manchester City in the league phase, back when Xabi Alonso was in charge.

Their prospects of extending their European dominion have not risen much higher since, particularly with a spate of injuries including to key players Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, who are set to miss the first leg at least. Vinicius Junior, vital in the play-off round against Benfica, carries the keys to Madrid’s potential success here.

The City boss made 10 chances for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Newcastle United and they still cantered to a 3-1 win.

Erling Haaland did not feature in that game due to an ankle injury and the Norway striker’s availability remains in doubt.

City and Real have met in 15 previous Champions League matches. Madrid knocked City out in the past two seasons, winning 6-3 on aggregate in the play-off round last term and triumphing in a quarter-final penalty shoot-out in 2023/24.

– Bodo/Glimt v Sporting –

Bodo/Glimt’s fairytale run continues as they welcome Portuguese champions Sporting to the Aspmyra Stadion, which lies inside the Arctic Circle.

Kjetil Knutsen’s team finished the league phase with wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid before beating Inter Milan home and away in the play-offs. That success was all the more remarkable given that the Norwegian league is only just about to come out of its off-season.

Winger Jens Petter Hauge is Glimt’s danger man, having scored six goals in 10 Champions League appearances this season. Sporting, meanwhile, make the journey from Lisbon having finished an impressive seventh in the league phase, in which they notably beat PSG.

Rui Borges’s team are unbeaten in 12 games but were held 2-2 at Braga on Saturday, a result which kept them four points behind domestic league leaders Porto. Their main threat is Colombian striker Luis Suarez, who has 31 goals in all competitions this season.