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Bayer Leverkusen stars Robert Andrich and Jonas Hofmann have said that they would rather face Arsenal than Bayern Munich in the Champions League round-of-16.
Arsenal can play either Bayer Leverkusen or Atalanta in the next round of the competition, and Bayern Munich will face whichever team Arsenal are not drawn against.
Leverkusen beat Olympiacos in the Champions League while Atalanta beat Borussia Dortmund, meaning that the two teams are up for contention to play against either Arsenal or Bayern.
Leverkusen stars explain why they would rather face Arsenal than Bayern
Andrich and Hofmann believe that it would be a bit better for them personally if they face Arsenal rather than Bayern, just so that more German teams are able to stay in the competition for a little bit longer.
Andrich said: "We knew from the start that we would face a top club anyway. I stand by my opinion. I would prefer not to face a German team, so that perhaps enough German teams can still stay in the competition."
Hofmann had the same opinion, saying: "I think it’s a bit too early for a German-German tie. It doesn’t have this Champions League character somehow. So if I could have my wish, then Arsenal. It would be a bit cooler to travel to London and for them to come here."
There is no real disrespect from the two players. It is just about them not wanting to face a team from their own league because they already do that enough every season.
It would be a change of pace for them and it would be better to go to a country like England and play football there rather than play the same fixture that they play every year anyway. That is what Andrich said, and to be fair to him, it makes sense.
Even Arsenal fans would rather play a team from Germany, Spain or Italy than play against Manchester City, or Chelsea, or Tottenham again. It makes it feel more like a special European tie rather than something that happens every season.
Leverkusen, even though they are not the same team that they were a few seasons ago, are still a dangerous side, and in a two-legged knockout tie, anything can happen. Atalanta, on the other hand, beat Borussia Dortmund, and they could also be a very big challenge for this Arsenal team.
Arsenal would expect to get into the quarter-final stage either way because they are one of the best teams in the world, but it looks to be an interesting tie either way.