Martin Keown says Arsenal are now UEFA Champions League 'heavyweights' - but no 'complacency' against Bayer Leverkusen in last 16
By Ben Morse
Updated 27/02/2026 at 20:33 GMT
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Martin Keown says he believes that Arsenal will be "confident" but not "complacent" after they were drawn against Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League last 16. Mikel Arteta's side booked their spot emphatically by finishing top of the standings, while their opponents edged past Olympiacos in the play-offs. The two legs will be held in March, with the first game in Germany.
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Arsenal will be "confident" but not "complacent" after being drawn with Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League last 16, according to TNT Sports pundit Martin Keown.
In Friday’s draw, Premier League leaders Arsenal were paired against Bayer Leverkusen after the German side edged past Olympiacos in the play-offs.
Arsenal, on the other hand, booked their spot in the last 16 emphatically by finishing top of the league standings.
And Keown believes his former side will feel well-placed to make it through to the next stage, without getting ahead of themselves.
"Arsenal are becoming quite formidable in Europe, [they are] one of the big heavyweights," Keown told TNT Sports. "They were out of the competition for six years or so.
"Three years back in now, quarter-finals, semi-finals, hopefully you can go that one step further. But you can’t look beyond Bayer Leverkusen in the next round. You see Inter Milan go out [against Bodo/Glimt] in the manner that they did. Arsenal will be confident, they’re in really good form right now, but they won’t be complacent."
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The first leg will be in Germany at the BayArena on Wednesday, March 11, before the two-legged tie concludes at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, March 17.
Leverkusen won the Bundesliga in 2024 under then-manager Xabi Alonso. Alonso chose to leave the club in 2025 for Real Madrid, and his replacement, former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, lasted just two league games before being sacked.
Former Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand was named manager following Ten Hag’s departure, and he has steadied the ship.
Leverkusen currently sit sixth in the Bundesliga table, and are into the semi-finals of the DFP-Pokal too.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are challenging for a quadruple this season. They lead the Premier League, are in the fifth round of the FA Cup and will also face Manchester City in the final of the Carabao Cup in March.
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Manager Mikel Arteta says his players are "really excited" about the prospect of the end to this season.
"Fighting on four fronts, and the way the team is consistently performing, gives us a lot of hope - and positive thoughts about what is coming. But we can only focus on the present. That's where we're going to put our energy, and that's on Sunday," Arteta told reporters on Friday.
"I focus a lot on what we have to do to continue in the manner and the trajectory that we are as a team, and from there, obviously try to improve."
Stream the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Men's and Women's FA Cup and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
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