Arsenal cruised through the league phase of the Champions League, comfortably beating the likes of Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid in the process. However, the knockout phase is now underway and will present an entirely different challenge to Mikel Arteta’s team.
The Gunners are riding high at the top of the Premier League, moving five points clear after beating Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. While they are expected to win the English top flight, Arteta’s men are also the favourites to go all the way in Europe, and will certainly have their sights set on a historic double.
The draw later this week will indicate just how likely this is, with the potential routes to the final in Budapest massively varying in difficulty. So, with that said, here’s a look at everything you need to know ahead of the Champions League draw for Arsenal.
When is the Champions League round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draw?
The Champions League round of 16 draw will take place on Friday 27th February at 11am (GMT).
The round of 16 draw will be followed immediately by the quarter-final and semi-final draw, mapping out the route to the final. The bracket will become clear, while Arsenal will hold home advantage in the second leg of every knockout tie they are involved in, as a reward for finishing first in the league phase.
Champions League draw live stream
A free live stream of the Champions League draw will be available via the official UEFA website, along with live streams on YouTube.
Who can Arsenal face in the Champions League round of 16?
After finishing first in the league phase, Arsenal will play against one of the sides that finished between 15th and 18th in the table.
These four teams were pitted against each other in two separate play-off ties, with Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta beating Olympiacos and Borussia Dortmund 2-0 and 4-3 on aggregate, respectively.
Thus, Arsenal can face either one of:
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Atalanta
Who can Arsenal face in the Champions League quarter-final?
Arsenal fans will certainly fancy their team to overcome either of these two sides in the round of 16, and will be looking ahead to potential quarter-final opponents.
This is where the bracket becomes a little more confusing. Bodo/Glimt’s reward for beating Inter Milan is a clash with either Manchester City or Sporting. If Arsenal are drawn against Leverkusen, then they will play the winners of the tie involving the Norwegian side, if they progress past the Bundesliga outfit.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will also play one of City or Sporting after beating Benfica over two legs. If Arsenal are pitted against Atalanta and win, then they will meet the winner of Los Blancos’ last 16 encounter.
So, Arsenal’s potential quarter-final opponents are:
- Bodo/Glimt
- Real Madrid
- Manchester City
- Sporting
Who can Arsenal face in the Champions League semi-final?
If Arsenal are able to reach the same stage of the competition they got to last term, then there are a whole host of potential opponents.
At the moment, there is very little clarity regarding the bracket, so it could be any one of these eight teams, including four play-off winners and the four teams that finished between third and sixth in the league phase:
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Galatasaray
- Newcastle United
- Atletico Madrid
- Liverpool
- Tottenham Hotspur
- Barcelona
- Chelsea
The only guarantees are that Arsenal can’t play any of the above teams until at least the semi-final stage, they can’t play any of the potential quarter-final opponents in the semi-finals, and they cannot meet Bayern Munich at any stage until the final.
Champions League fixture dates
The fixtures for the remainder of the Champions League have been mapped out for the schedule, with the dates coming thick and fast.
| Fixture round | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 10/11 March | 17/18 March |
| Quarter-final | 7/8 April | 14/15 April |
| Semi-final | 28/29 April | 5/6 May |
| Final | 30 May | – |
Arsenal will be extremely hopeful of making it all the way and landing silverware in late May.
