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Predicted Arsenal line-up vs Bayer Leverkusen

By on March 11, 2026

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Arsenal are set to travel to BayArena to take on Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16 first leg this evening.

The Gunners will be coming into this game off the back of a slender 2-1 victory over Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round and are set to face Southampton in the quarter-final next month.

Mikel Arteta’s side won all eight matches in the Champions League league phase and have won nine of the last 11 games across all competitions, drawing twice.

On the other hand, Leverkusen have reached the last 16 of Europe’s elite club competition by defeating Olympiacos in the playoff round. Kasper Hjulmand’s side have been going through a difficult time in recent weeks, winning only one out of the last five games and drawing three.

Team news

Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, and Ben White are likely to remain sidelined for this game owing to their respective injury problems. Leandro Trossard picked up a knock last weekend but was pictured in training ahead of this game.

So, he should be ready to be involved. William Saliba and Riccardo Calafiori are also expected to be fit enough to feature.

Predicted line-up

Arteta made wholesale changes to his starting line-up vs Mansfield and is likely to recall all of his key starters today. So, David Raya would be in goal ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes might be the centre-back pairing, while Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapié are expected to be the two fullbacks for Arsenal.

In that case, Cristhian Mosquera, Calafiori, and Myles Lewis-Skelly would have to make do with a place on the bench.

Martin Zubimendi is set to be in the deep-lying playmaker position, and Declan Rice should be alongside the Spaniard in the engine room. Eberechi Eze might be the creative midfielder, so Kai Havertz could feature off the bench.

Bukayo Saka is likely to be on the right flank, and Gabriel Martinelli may get the nod to start on the opposite side ahead of Trossard. Viktor Gyokeres should lead the line for the North London club, and Gabriel Jesus might feature off the bench if needed.

Expected Arsenal line-up vs Leverkusen

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Rice, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli

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