Arsenal Vs Leverkusen In London Leaves Arteta With Selection Dilemma After Tight First Leg
The second leg of arsenal vs leverkusen is scheduled for 17 Mar 2026 at 4: 00 pm ET, leaving Arsenal with tactical and selection choices to make after a closely contested first meeting that keeps the tie finely poised.
Arsenal Vs Leverkusen: Kick-Off, Stakes And Viewing Notes
The return match in London carries championship implications for both clubs in the Champions League round of 16. Kick-off is set for 17 Mar 2026 at 4: 00 pm ET. English-language live streams are available for the game, and travellers may face geo-restrictions; a virtual private network can be used to access services from different locations.
Selection Choices: Havertz Favoured Over Max Dowman As Odegaard Is Injured
With the captain sidelined through injury, the manager will not turn to the teenager as the primary replacement for the starting role. The decision is to start Kai Havertz rather than Max Dowman. Havertz brings Champions League experience and was the player to convert a late penalty in the first leg, while Max Dowman is expected to remain an option from the bench.
The manager’s choice reflects a preference for experience in a high-stakes knockout match; Dowman is still seen as a developing option who will be managed carefully following an earlier academy injury and is likely to be used as an impact substitute if the match situation calls for it.
Form, Records And Injury Doubts
Arsenal arrive having extended an unbeaten run to 13 competitive outings, a sequence that included a 2-0 win over Everton in which 16-year-old Max Dowman scored, becoming the youngest goal-scorer in the competition’s history. In European competition at home under the current manager, the club has lost only one of 16 UCL home games (13 wins, 2 draws), that defeat coming against the eventual winners of the competition in that season.
Bayer Leverkusen come to London unbeaten in four Champions League matches and secured a draw in their domestic meeting with Bayern Munich at the weekend. The German side has not progressed to a UCL quarter-final since the 2001/02 campaign, a statistic that underlines the tie’s importance for their continental ambitions. Squad fitness is a factor: Leandro Trossard is listed as a doubt, while Aleix Garcia and Martin Terrier may miss out after sustaining knocks.
The match will be decided by selection, match management and how each side handles the available personnel. Final line-ups and late fitness updates will clarify some of the outstanding questions, but the known facts set the scene: Arsenal with home advantage and a strong recent run, Leverkusen with momentum in Europe and a record to rectify.
