Arteta, looking forward to participating in the Champions League Round of 16: We need to find a way to do better than our opponents.

2026-03-01 04:09

The draw for the Round of 16 in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League has been completed, and Premier League leaders Arsenal will face German giants Bayer Leverkusen. In an interview, Mikel Arteta stated that he hopes the Gunners can continue their progress in the competition and find ways to outperform their opponents.

In the Champions League league stage this season, Arsenal advanced to the Round of 16 with a perfect record, laying a solid foundation for their title challenge. In addition, Arsenal previously reached the League Cup final and are also on the path to winning both the Premier League and the FA Cup.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, "We are very much looking forward to the next round of matches. Our performance in the league stage has earned us a favorable position. Now we need to start analyzing our opponents, find ways to do better than them, and strive to advance."

In the first round of the Champions League Round of 16, Arsenal will travel to face Bayer Leverkusen.

Arteta continued, "We are very excited that the team continues to fight in four competitions and has shown a consistent performance, which gives us hope and positivity for the future. But we can only focus on the present and concentrate on the game in front of us, which is tomorrow's game."

“I’m more focused on what we need to do to maintain the team’s current pace and trajectory, and to continue to improve on that basis.”

In addition, Arsenal will face Chelsea in a London derby in the next round of the Premier League.

With braces from Eze and Dzekeresh, Arsenal defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 in the last round of the league. Arsenal currently remain top of the table with 61 points, leading second-placed Manchester City by two points with one game played in advance.

Image source: Internet