Arsenal aim to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals when they host Bayer Leverkusen tonight at 10:00 PM at the Emirates Stadium, in the second leg of the Round of 16.
The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, with Kai Havertz rescuing Arsenal late on with a penalty in the 89th minute after Robert Andrich had given Leverkusen the lead, leaving qualification finely balanced ahead of the return clash in London.
Arsenal enter the decisive encounter in high spirits, boosted by home advantage and a strong run of results in recent weeks.
The London side have won four of their last five matches, maintaining an impressive record at the Emirates, where they have secured six consecutive victories in front of their fans.
The Gunners are looking to reach the Champions League quarterfinals for the third consecutive season, having ended a run of seven straight Round of 16 eliminations during the 2023-2024 campaign, according to UEFA statistics.
Their home form in European competitions further underlines their strength, with Arsenal suffering just one defeat in their last 22 matches on home soil, recording 16 wins and five draws.
The team has also demonstrated notable attacking power, scoring three or more goals in six of their last nine home games in the Champions League.
Arsenal will rely on their offensive capabilities, led by Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, as they look to capitalize on strong crowd support and seal qualification in London.
Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, travel to England with ambitions of pulling off an upset.
Following the first-leg draw, the German side remain firmly in contention and will look to exploit their attacking quality, spearheaded by Patrik Schick, along with disciplined tactical organization to snatch qualification away from home.
With everything to play for, the Emirates Stadium is set to witness a high-intensity battle as both sides chase a place in the last eight.
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