Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen Prediction - UEFA Champions League

Arsenal entered their UEFA Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen as the favorites thanks to their incredibly consistent form. Mikel Arteta's side currently lead the league table and maintain an impressive unbeaten run, turning the Emirates Stadium into an impenetrable fortress.

Match information

Match:Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen

Time:03:00 on March 18, 2026

Location:Emirates Stadium

Current league position and form

Arsenal are dominating the top of the table with 24 points after 9 matches. The English club's performance is incredibly impressive with 8 wins and 1 draw, without a single defeat. The "Gunners'" attack is explosive, scoring 24 goals (an average of 2.7 goals per game), while their defense has only conceded 5 goals since the start of the season.

In stark contrast, Bayer Leverkusen is having a difficult season in European competition, currently sitting in 16th place with only 12 points. After 11 matches, the German team has only managed 4 wins, 5 draws, and 2 losses. Leverkusen's defensive capabilities are a major concern, having conceded 15 goals.

Head-to-head history and key statistics

In the recent past, Arsenal have shown a slight advantage in terms of results. In their encounter in August 2024, Arsenal secured a convincing 4-1 victory. However, in the first leg on March 12, 2026, Leverkusen successfully held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at home.

Notably, Arsenal have won all five of their most recent matches, while Bayer Leverkusen have been inconsistent with three wins, one draw, and one loss in their last five games.

Force situation: A crisis on both sides.

Arsenal will certainly be without playmaker M. Odegaard due to a knee injury. This absence leaves a significant void in their creative play. In addition, M. Merino is suffering from a leg injury and J. Timber is also unavailable.

On the other side of the pitch, Bayer Leverkusen faces a long list of injured players. The visitors will be without Arthur (ankle injury), L. Bade (muscle injury), E. Ben Seghir (ankle injury), M. Flekken (knee injury), and Lucas (calf injury). In addition, N. Tella and I. Traore are unavailable, while M. Terrier's participation remains uncertain.

Predicting results and analyzing tactics.

With home advantage and superior form, Arsenal are predicted to have a 45% chance of winning. However, given the cautious nature of high-stakes matches, a draw is also estimated at 45%. Bayer Leverkusen's chances of causing an upset are only around 10%.

This is expected to be a match where Arsenal will proactively control possession and increase pressure from the start. A win or a draw for the home team is considered the safest option for fans in this encounter.

Team lineup updated at 02:30 on March 18, 2026

Official lineup

Arsenal

Diagram: 4-2-3-1

CoachMikel Arteta

Starting lineup:

• 1. David Raya (G)
• 4. Ben White (D)
• 2. William Saliba (D)
• 6. Gabriel Magalhães (D)
• 5. Piero Hincapié (D)
• 36. Martín Zubimendi (M)
• 41. Declan Rice (M)
• 7. Bukayo Saka (M)
• 10. Eberechi Eze (M)
• 19. Leandro Trossard (M)
• 14. Viktor Gyökeres (F)

Substitutes:

• 13. Kepa Arrizabalaga
• 79. Khari Ranson
• 3. Cristhian Mosquera
• 33. Riccardo Calafiori
• 49. Myles Lewis-Skelly
• 16. Christian Nørgaard
• 20. Noni Madueke
• 56. Max Dowman
• 9. Gabriel Jesus
• 11. Gabriel Martinelli
• 29. Kai Havertz

Bayer Leverkusen

Diagram: 3-4-2-1

CoachKasper Hjulmand

Starting lineup:

• 28. Janis Blaswich (G)
• 4. Jarell Quansah (D)
• 8. Robert Andrich (D)
• 12. Edmond Tapsoba (D)
• 19. Ernest Poku (M)
• 25. Exequiel Palacios (M)
• 24. Aleix García (M)
• 20. Alejandro Grimaldo (M)
• 30. Ibrahim Maza (F)
• 11. Martin Terrier (F)
• 35. Christian Kofane (F)

Substitutes:

• 18. Jonas Omlin
• 36. Niklas Lomb
• 15. Tim Oermann
• 16. Axel Tape
• 6. Ezequiel Fernández
• 10. Malik Tillman
• 7. Jonas Hofmann
• 14. Patrick Schick
• 42. Montrell Culbreath