Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal LIVE: Champions League last 16 team news and updates – UK Times

The first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie takes place at the BayArena at 5.45pm GMT.

TV channel and how to watch online

Leverkusen v Arsenal will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3. Subscribers can stream the game online via the TNT Sports website and Discovery+ app.

Leverkusen have pulled off some impressive results in the Champions League, and they will give Arsenal a stiff test tonight. But Mikel Arteta’s side have been a cut above the rest of Europe all season, especially defensively, and they can bring a result back to the Emirates for the second leg. Leverkusen 1-1 Arsenal.

Leverkusen XI: Blaswich; Andrich, Quansah, Tapsoba; Poku, Garcia, Fernandez, Grimaldo; Maza, Kofane, Terrier.

Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.

Arsenal travel to Leverkusen with manager Arteta confirming that centre-back William Saliba is fit to feature, while captain Martin Odegaard has been ruled out of the first leg.

Saliba, who missed Arsenal’s last two matches in all competitions with an ankle injury, returns to bolster a defence that is otherwise at full strength. However, Odegaard’s absence leaves Arsenal without their main creative hub in midfield.

Arteta added that Riccardo Calafiori and Leandro Trossard “are a possibility — we will see,” while Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi are all available.

Leverkusen are without a number of players including Mark Flekken, Loic Bade, Lucas Vazquez and Patrik Schick.

The Premier League leaders are through to the final of the Carabao Cup, where they will meet Manchester City, and they face Southampton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Now led by the former Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand, Leverkusen are sixth in the Bundesliga. They finished 16th in the Champions League group phase, picking up impressing away wins at Manchester City and Benfica, while also losing 7-2 to PSG.

Leverkusen beat Olympiacos 2-0 in the play-offs to reach the round of 16.

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of today’s Champions League match between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen.

The Gunners travel to Germany hoping to put one foot in the quarter-finals as they continue their bid for an unprecedented quadruple, while the Bundesliga side hope to cause an upset with a first-leg win at the BayArena.

We’ll have all the latest build-up, team news and updates right here.