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Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen: Preview, Prediction, Lineup & How to watch on TV
- Arsenal face Bayer Leverkusen in pre-season friendly
- Gunners back at the Emirates after returning from USA
- Leverkusen enjoyed historic 2023/24 campaign
Arsenal are back in north London following their venture across the pond and take on Bayer Leverkusen in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.
The scheduled summer fixture means there will be a return to the Emirates for Granit Xhaka, who departed the club in 2023 and went on to enjoy a trophy-laden season in Germany. Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen were one of the stories of the 2023/24 campaign as they became the first team ever to enjoy an unbeaten Bundesliga season.
Having retained almost the entirely of their squad so far this summer, Alonso's side are well-placed to defend their Bundesliga title. While they haven't had the busiest of summer schedules so far, they represent a stern test for this Arsenal side - one that endured a mixed bag of results out in the States.
So, without further ado, join us for our Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen preview, which features key information such as team news, predicted lineups, guidance on how to watch Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen on TV and a guaranteed-to-be-accurare score prediction.
Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen: Preview, Prediction, Lineup & How to watch on TV
What time does Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen Kick-Off?
Arsenal are back from the US and will play their first Emirates friendly of the summer on Wednesday evening.
- When is kick-off? Wednesday 7 August, 2024
- What time is kick-off? 18:00 (BST)
- Where is it played? Emirates Stadium, England
Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen Head-to-Head Record
This will be the first meeting between the two sides in over 20 years. The pair faced off during the second group stage of the 2001/02 Champions League campaign, with Leverkusen going on to reach the final that season.
Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
19 February 2002 | Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Arsenal | Champions League |
27 February 2002 | Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool | Champions League |
Is Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen on TV?
Streaming sources are scarce for Wednesday's friendly, although fans can catch the game for a fee via arsenal.com. A pass for the game costs £4.99, but it is not available for viewers in Austria or Germany.
Arsenal Team News
There should be a home debut for Riccardo Calafiori after he teamed up with Arteta's squad out in the US. The new signing did not feature against Liverpool in Arsenal's final game of the tour. Jurrien Timber also didn't play in Philadelphia but is back in contention.
The likes of William Saliba, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and David Raya were all absent from the US tour due to their international commitments. They've since returned to training, though, and will be available for Wednesday's game.
Karl Hein could share minutes with Raya between the sticks, while Ethan Nwaneri will be hoping for more minutes in the middle of the park.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Bayer Leverkusen: Raya; White, Timber, Gabriel, Kiwior; Partey, Odegaard, Nwaneri; Vieira, Havertz, Martinelli.
Bayer Leverkusen Team News
Xhaka's back, folks, and the former Gunner will line up in Alonso's midfield on Wednesday. He could be joined by summer arrival Aleix Garcia in the middle of the park.
Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Grimaldo were the latest to return to Leverkusen HQ from Euro 2024, but both are available for Wednesday's friendly.
Alonso, however, is without Exequiel Palacios, who's undergone meniscus surgery and is set to miss the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
Predicted Bayer Leverkusen lineup vs Arsenal: Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Garcia, Xhaka, Hlozek; Wirtz, Adli; Boniface.
Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen Score Prediction
These two managers are familiar with one another, and it'd be great if these two sides faced off in next season's Champions League. Nevertheless, Wednesday's game should be full of intrigue and tactical quirks as the start of the 2024/25 season nears.
Arsenal have more minutes in the tank this summer and will have a full complement of players available on Wednesday, but we can't overlook the challenges this excellent, settled Leverkusen side will cause. However, the Gunners' home advantage and superior strength off the bench may carry them to a pre-season win.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
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