Bayer Leverkusen head coach Kasper Hjulmand believes Arsenal and Bayern Munich remain the 2 standout candidates to win the Champions League this season.
Goals from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice sealed Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Leverkusen on Tuesday night and Mikel Arteta’s side will now play Sporting CP within the Champions League quarter-final after their epic comeback against Bodo/Glimt in Portugal.
Bayern, meanwhile, have already got one foot within the last eight of the Champions League following their 6-1 win away to Atalanta last week and can play the Italian side of their second leg on Wednesday night.
Hjulmand has extensive experience of facing each Arsenal and Bayern this season, along with his side drawing 1-1 against Vincent Kompany’s men last Saturday before their 2-0 defeat on the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Speaking after his side’s Champions League exit, Hjulmand was asked if he believes Arsenal can go all the best way within the competition this season.
‘Yeah, I feel they may,’ Hjulmand said.
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‘You’ll be able to see within the Premier League as well, their lead, the fewest goals against them, the best variety of goal scored, so it’s not a coincidence, and once you structure your game like this it’s very difficult.
Champions League quarter-final draw
Paris Saint-Germain vs Galatasaray or Liverpool
Real Madrid vs Atalanta or Bayern Munich
Newcastle United or Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid or Tottenham
Sporting CP vs Arsenal
‘But I also think Bayern is a really different form of game. They do it in another way, Bayern, and so they’re a really, very high level.
‘I’d say it’s face to face, but there are also other teams within the competition like Paris and Real Madrid. So it’s a decent variety of teams and in a single game you never know what happens, in two games, in football, and it’s about being ready on the night.
‘But they’re definitely… in a tournament just like the Premier League I can see why they accomplish that well.’
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