CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BETTING PREVIEW - BAYER LEVERKUSEN VS ARSENAL

Champions League

2026-03-11 - Bayer Leverkusen vs Arsenal

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal
Football: UEFA Champions League Last 16 First Leg
Wednesday 11th March 2026 - Kick Off 5:45pm
This game is live on TV

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Bayer Leverkusen

They did most of the damage out in Greece in the First Leg of the Knock Out Play Off Round tie against Olympiacos and Bayer Leverkusen made it comfortably through to the Last 16. The draw was always going to be difficult with either Bayern Munich or Arsenal the opponents, but Bayer Leverkusen may feel they have nothing to lose ahead of an important First Leg that is being hosted by the Bundesliga club.

Back home, Bayer Leverkusen are in for a real fight to finish in the top four places in Germany and earn a return to the Champions League next season. They also finished 16th in the League Phase of this competition and that was largely down to Leverkusen's relatively disappointing 1-2-1 record at home, while the draw at home with Olympiacos last month means another one to add to that list.

Bayer Leverkusen have lost 1 of the last 12 games in all competitions, but they were held to a 3-3 draw at Freiburg this past weekend and that means they have won 1 of the last 5. The side had won 4 in a row at home before consecutive draws with Olympiacos and Mainz.

A number of important players are going to be absent from the match day squad to only increase the size of the task in front of the Leverkusen players.

Arsenal

Three years ago, Manchester City became just the second English club to win 'The Treble', but Arsenal fans are dreaming of the 2025/26 squad going down in history as the only one to earn a clean sweep. The lead at the top of the Premier League was extended last week and Arsenal have made it through to the FA Cup Quarter Final, which will be played two weeks after the League Cup Final.

Finishing top of the Champions League Group did little for Liverpool twelve months ago, but Arsenal have been given a big opportunity to reach the Final of the competition for the second time with the way the bracket has panned out. Some fans may be making plans for a trip to Budapest, but Mikel Arteta and the players cannot afford to think too far ahead even if Arsenal had a perfect 8-0-0 record in the League Phase.

Arsenal have overcome a couple of setbacks in February and they have now won 4 in a row in all competitions following the battling 1-2 win at Mansfield Town on Saturday. They have won 10 of the last 13 away games in all competitions and Arsenal are unbeaten in all of those matches.

Leandro Trossard has to be a doubt after being forced off on Saturday, while the likes of William Saliba are also dealing with an injury. Despite those potential absentees, Arsenal have a strong travelling squad and one that had several key players afforded plenty of rest after missing the FA Cup win last time out.

Head to Head

Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal have met just twice before in the 2001/02 season.

The game in Germany finished in a draw.

Prediction

As far as Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal fans will be concerned, the critics can line up and moan about the way the team go about things and it will be like water off a duck's back with the only concern for The Gunners being winning football matches.

There is no doubt that some of recent fixtures have featured more substance over style, but that won't matter if Arsenal are picking up multiple trophies later this season.

After winning all eight Champions League Group matches, Arsenal have been placed in a very strong position to make at least the Semi Final and perhaps even further. Last season they were undone in the last four against Paris Saint-Germain, but this Arsenal team look deeper in squad options and playing with experience and confidence that will be hard to shake.

They are favourites to win this Last 16 tie, although they are facing a Bayer Leverkusen team that has strung together a positive run of form.

Of course this will feel a big step up for a 6th placed Bundesliga club and there is going to be some pressure on Bayer Leverkusen to have something to protect when visiting North London next week.

Bayer Leverkusen have won at Manchester City in the League Phase of the competition and so have to be respected, but they were second best when hosting Newcastle United and needed a late goal to salvage a draw.

Now they have to take on what looks to be the strongest team in the English Premier League and Bayer Leverkusen are going to be short of some key players, which only adds to the size of the task in front of them.

And as well as Bayer Leverkusen have been performing of late, it should be noted that the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund have won here. The last couple of home games have ended in draws and that fixture against Newcastle United could have easily been another defeat, which makes it tough to believe they can contain Arsenal.

The Gunners have won impressively in away Champions League ties at Athletic Bilbao and Inter Milan this season and this is a team that have created some very strong attacking positions in those. Add in the continued threat from set pieces, which may be alien to those in Europe, and Arsenal look like they could secure a very good win in Germany to keep the momentum going through March.

Arsenal have scored at least twice in all eight Champions League games played this season and they can reach that total in another winning effort in Wednesday's early kick off.

The Pick :

Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Arsenal

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Arsenal to Win & Over 1 Total Goal (Bet Builder) at 1.86 with Bet365 (early payout if a team is leading by two goals)