Mikel Arteta lauds ‘warrior’ Piero Hincapie’s incredible Arsenal impact - ‘He will play through brick walls for you’

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There will be a couple of familiar faces for the home crowd at the BayArena on Wednesday night when Arsenal face Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg. Piero Hincapie and Kai Havertz are both up against their former club and both came in for high praise from manager Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard told TNT Sports that Hincapie will "play through brick walls for you."

Arteta reveals conversation with Alonso ahead of signing 'warrior' Hincapie

Video credit: TNT Sports

Mikel Arteta said that Xabi Alonso told him Piero Hincapie was a "warrior" before he joined Arsenal, and hailed the defender as someone who "will play through brick walls" before his reunion with Bayer Leverkusen.

The Ecuador international joined The Gunners last summer from the German side and will quickly return to his former stomping ground when the two sides meet at the BayArena for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday – live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Hincapie has quickly become an important player for Arteta as Arsenal push for silverware on four fronts in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.

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Asked about the impact of the defender, who has made 29 appearances in all competitions already this season, Arteta recalled speaking with his compatriot and former Leverkusen manager Alonso for more information.

"When I spoke to Xabi just before we were going to sign him, I said if you have to describe him in one word, what would you use, and he said, 'He’s a warrior,'" Arteta told TNT Sports.

"He will play through brick walls for you and he’s one of the most competitive players that I have had.

"He’s come into the Premier League after surgery and a difficult start without a pre-season, and when you see him around his team-mates and competing on the pitch, it’s like he’s been here for 10 years.

"He has an aura, a charisma - a really special character."

Watch: Why have Arsenal been so good in the Champions League this season?

Video credit: TNT Sports

'Difficult to find better person' than Havertz

Kai Havertz will also face his former employers in Germany, having come through the youth ranks at Leverkusen before moving to Chelsea in 2020.

The Germany international joined Arteta’s side in 2023 but has had an injury-plagued 2025/26 campaign.

Asked about why people seem to love the popular forward, Arteta said: "It’s impossible not to. He’s so kind, so humble, so honest, so hard-working. When you meet his family, you understand straight away how he’s been raised and what is important to him in life.

"I know Kai in the very best moments and Kai in the low moments as well, especially when a player picks up an injury, when you see the real person. It’s very difficult to find a better person than Kai in football."

'Very difficult to find a better person in football' than Havertz - Arteta

Video credit: TNT Sports

There is a mutual respect and appreciation between the two, as Havertz returned the compliment when discussing his manager.

The 26-year-old returned from a season-long injury in January, only to return to the treatment table a month later, but is now back on the pitch after featuring from the bench in Arsenal’s past two Premier League games and starting in Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup win over Mansfield Town.

Asked what he has learned in three years working under the Spaniard, Havertz said: "A lot. I learned a lot about football in general.

"There were so many things I didn’t know before even though it’s an easy game. Like areas you need to attack. Things like this, that as a player you don’t think about it that much.

"I was always a player with a bit of intuition and just did things, but he taught me so many things in so many different ways.

Havertz says 'amazing' Arteta has 'taught me so many things' about football

Video credit: TNT Sports

"Also to grow up, to have that mentality to take the ball whenever you need to take it and make stuff happen. In the last year, when I had some issues with injuries, he was amazing to me, he always picked me up when I had difficult situations.

"I’m very thankful for the three years we already had together and, hopefully, together we can achieve something this year."

How to watch Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal?

Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal will be live on TNT Sports 3 and discovery+.

TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.

You can subscribe to TNT Sports through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.

Stream the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+

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