Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes believes Arsenal needs to be considered the favourites to win each the Premier League and Champions League this season.
Leverkusen were paired with Arsenal for the last-16 stage in Friday’s Champions League draw, with the winner on account of play either Bodo/Glimt or Sporting CP within the quarter final.
Arsenal finished top of the Champions League league phase and were the one team to win all eight of their matches, while Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit five points clear of Manchester City at the highest of the Premier League.
‘I used to be delighted with the draw,’ Rolfes said.
‘From a sporting perspective, each are obviously top opponents, but firstly, we’re facing two of our former players in Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapie, and secondly, we’re playing internationally. That’s what you compete for within the Champions League.
‘They [Arsenal] have an especially good squad with loads of physical but additionally technical quality, pace very well-coordinated and organised.
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‘They’ve actually developed their type of play just a little higher every season over the previous couple of years, which is why they’re among the many top favourite within the Champions League but additionally the Premier League.
‘They’re a top opponent however it’s also fun to compete against such players.’
The Champions League tie will even see each Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapie, who joined Arsenal on loan last summer, face their former club.
‘Yes, we’re in touch sometimes, I’ve already texted him so I’m sure he’ll need loads of tickets as he comes from here, so there will definitely be contact,’ Rolfes said of a possible reunion with Havertz.
‘After which it’s also nice when he went to Chelsea during Covid, it was a giant farewell for us, the entire transfer was the idea for the following few years and he really left something here.
‘Due to Covid there was never the environment, the chance to say goodbye to him, even when we saw one another afterwards. But now I feel it’s a really special setting for him to return back to the BayArena and for Piero [Hincapie] too, after all. He’s still officially our player and is just on loan in the intervening time but it can come to the transfer and I feel for Piero it’s just as special too.’
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