Story by“We have earned the right,” Arteta reacts to Arsenal’s Champions League drawJust ArsenalFri, February 27, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC·2 min readArsenal will face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League round of 16, and they must demonstrate that their impressive league phase form was no fluke. Last season, Liverpool performed strongly in the league phase and topped the standings, only to be eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16. That example serves as a reminder that early promise in the competition guarantees nothing once the knockout rounds begin. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementArsenal reached the semi-final last term and appear even stronger now than they did during that campaign, raising hopes that they could go one step further this time. The squad has matured, expectations have grown, and there is renewed belief that this could be a defining season. A chance to build on recent progressUnder Mikel Arteta, Arsenal are striving to meet those expectations while keeping alive dreams of an unprecedented quadruple.