Bayer Leverkusen chief makes Arsenal 'favourites' claim after Champions League draw

Simon Rolfes says he is ‘delighted’ with getting Arsenal in the Champions League draw (Bayer Leverkusen)

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes believes Arsenal should be considered the favourites to win both 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 due to play either Bodo/Glimt or Sporting CP in the quarter final.

Arsenal finished top of the Champions League league phase and were the only team to win all eight of their matches, while Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

‘I was delighted with the draw,’ Rolfes said.

‘From a sporting perspective, both 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 in the Champions League.

The Champions League brackets in full (Click image to expand)

‘They [Arsenal] have an extremely good squad with a lot of physical but also technical quality, pace very well-coordinated and organised.

‘They’ve actually developed their style of play a little better every season over the last few years, which is why they’re among the top favourite in the Champions League but also the Premier League.

‘They’re a top opponent but it’s also fun to compete against such players.’

Kai Havertz will be up against his former club Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16 (Getty)

The Champions League tie will also see both Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapie, who joined Arsenal on loan last summer, face their former club.

‘Yes, we are in contact sometimes, I’ve already texted him so I’m sure he’ll need a lot of tickets as he comes from here, so there will certainly be contact,’ Rolfes said of a potential reunion with Havertz.

‘And then it’s also nice when he went to Chelsea during Covid , it was a big farewell for us, the whole transfer was the basis for the next few years and he really left something here.

‘Because of Covid there was never the environment, the opportunity to say goodbye to him, even if we saw each other afterwards. But now I think it’s a very special setting for him to come back to the BayArena and for Piero [Hincapie] too, of course. He’s still officially our player and is only on loan at the moment but it will come to the transfer and I think for Piero it’s just as special too.’