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Who Arsenal Could Play In the Champions League Round of 16
Arsenal have guaranteed their spot in the Champions League round of 16 with a perfect record, and are well-placed for another deep run in the competition, having secured first place in the final league phase standings.
They’ll now benefit from taking on a supposedly middling opponent in the last 16, and will play the second legs of all knockout ties on home soil—a perk the Gunners didn’t earn last season, despite finishing as high as third in the opening phase of the competition then.
While discourse surrounding the New England Patriots’ “cupcake” schedule amid their unlikely journey to Super Bowl LX has been rife, Arsenal cannot be accused of treading an easy path on their way to Champions League perfection. Mikel Arteta’s side have so far beaten Atlético Madrid, second-place Bayern Munich and Inter.
Supporters can thus have their feet up for a few weeks until the round of 16 gets underway, with Wednesday’s games confirming Arsenal’s next step on their route to the final.
Here are Arsenal’s potential round of 16 opponents.
Who Could Arsenal Face in the Champions League Last 16?
As Arsenal have finished first, they’ll eventually face in the round of 16 either the team that finishes 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th in the league phase table.
In UEFA’s pre-determined bracket, 15th and 16th (seeded) will take on either 17th or 18th (unseeded) in the knockout playoff round.
Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiacos both jumped into position with victories over Villarreal and Ajax respectively. Atalanta began the day higher up but sank into Arsenal’s range due to a defeat tanking their chance of a top-eight finish, with Borussia Dortmund the fourth option.
Arsenal’s Potential Champions League Last 16 Opponents
- Atalanta (15th)
- Bayer Leverkusen (16th)
- Borussia Dortmund (17th)
- Olympiacos (18th)
When Is The Champions League Last 16?
There will be no Champions League football for Arteta’s Arsenal in February, allowing the Spaniard to focus all his energy on domestic matters during that time.
The first legs of the round of 16 have been scheduled for March 10/11, while the second legs will be played the following week, on March 17/18.
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James Cormack is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer with an avid interest in tactical and player analysis. As well as supporting Spurs religiously, he follows Italian and German football, taking particular interest in the work of Antonio Conte & Julian Nagelsmann.