Arsenal ‘clear favourites’ for Champions League after kind-looking draw

Evening Standard

Arsenal ‘clear favourites’ for Champions League after kind-looking draw

Gunners avoid most of Europe’s biggest names in the knockout bracket

Arsenal have been labelled the “clear favourites” to win this season’s Champions League after being handed a knockout draw that looks significantly more forgiving than many of their remaining rivals.

The Gunners head into the last 16 as one of the standout sides in the competition, topping the league-phase table with a perfect record — eight wins from eight — while also finishing as the most prolific attack (23 goals scored) and the tightest defence (only four conceded). Momentum is firmly with Mikel Arteta’s team, and the draw has only fuelled the belief that this could finally be their year, a view echoed across markets such as crown88.

Friday’s last-16 draw paired Arsenal with Bayer Leverkusen rather than Atalanta, and also mapped out the potential route to the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on May 30. Crucially for Arsenal, they landed in the opposite half of the bracket to a cluster of heavyweight contenders — including Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Liverpool — meaning they cannot face any of them until a possible final.

If Arsenal overcome Leverkusen, they would meet either Bodø/Glimt or Sporting (Viktor Gyökeres’ former club) in the quarter-finals. From there, a semi-final could come against one of Newcastle, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid or arch-rivals Tottenham, should they continue progressing.

Being placed on what many perceive as the “easier” side of the draw has strengthened bookmaker confidence that Arsenal are well positioned to chase a first-ever Champions League crown. It also adds to the sense that Arteta’s side could be building a truly special season on multiple fronts: they remain top of the Premier League, are still alive in the FA Cup, and are set to meet title rivals Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on March 22 — all of which has pushed Arsenal’s odds shorter across several outlets, including crown88.