Mikel Arteta’s men topped the 32-team table in the newly formatted league phase, winning all eight fixtures while finishing as the competition’s highest scorers and meanest defence. Statement victories over Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan secured a top-eight finish with two matches to spare.
A 3–1 triumph at the San Siro confirmed a top-two placing, guaranteeing Arsenal home advantage in the second leg of any knockout tie they contest. Crucially, finishing inside the top eight also allowed the Gunners to bypass the two-legged play-off round introduced under the revamped format, easing fixture congestion during February.
Who Could Arsenal Face?
The last-16 draw is scheduled for Friday, February 27, with first legs set for March 10 or 11 and return fixtures a week later.
By virtue of finishing first in the league phase, Arsenal were paired against the winners emerging from the play-off bracket involving the 15th to 18th seeds. Following the conclusion of those ties, their potential opponents have been narrowed down to two: Atalanta BC or Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Leverkusen progressed with relative comfort, protecting a 2–0 first-leg advantage before sealing qualification with a goalless home draw against Olympiacos F.C. to reach the round of 16 for the second consecutive season.
Atalanta’s path was far more dramatic. After overturning a deficit and pushing the contest to the brink, the Italian side were awarded a stoppage-time penalty following a defensive error and foul inside the box. Lazar Samardžić converted from the spot to send the Serie A outfit through in dramatic fashion.
Busy Schedule Looms
Arsenal’s European tie will come amid a demanding domestic run. The first leg follows an FA Cup fifth-round trip to Mansfield and a Premier League away clash against Brighton on March 4 — part of a sequence that sees Arteta’s side navigate three successive away fixtures.
A home meeting with Everton, which could yet be rearranged, precedes the return leg. Shortly after, Arsenal will turn their attention to Wembley for the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City F.C..
With momentum strong in Europe and silverware still in sight on multiple fronts, Arsenal now await Friday’s draw to discover which obstacle stands between them and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.