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Arsenal find out who they will face in the next round of the Champions League this Friday morning (local time). At this stage, there are two potential opponents for Arsenal fans to be wary of: Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen.
Atalanta faced Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their playoff tie. Dortmund held a 2-0 advantage heading into the away fixture, so they were the favourites to go through. However, an exceptional 4-1 showing by Atalanta means the Italian side is a contender to face Arsenal, not Dortmund anymore. Bayer Leverkusen have already confirmed their place in the Round of 16.
Who may Arsenal face in the Champions League Round of 16?
Bayer Leverkusen is one half of the potential opponents for Arsenal. The other half is Atalanta, after they overcame adversity against Dortmund.
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen cemented their place in the Champions League Round of 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 on aggregate. That 2-0 scoreline was put in place in the first leg in Greece, with the second leg being held at a 0-0 stalemate.
Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen have a great relationship. The Gunners sold Granit Xhaka to Leverkusen, and Leverkusen loaned Piero Hincapie to Arsenal.
Bayer Leverkusen is sixth in the Bundesliga, but they are no pushovers. Having won a domestic title and reached a European final more recently than Arsenal, the game would be more even than most think.
Atalanta
There remains a likelihood that Atalanta could reach the Champions League Round of 16. They did themselves no favours, by needing to claw back at a two goal deficit against Dortmund. They did exactly that in fine style.
Atalanta has entered some pretty impressive form lately. They haven't lost in nine Serie A games, and they even defeated Juventus in the Coppa Italia. Their European form left a lot to be desired before last night, though, so it remains to be seen whether that hammering of Dortmund inspires them to achieve even greater things in this year's competition.
Could Piero Hincapie play if Arsenal face Bayer Leverkusen?
Yes. UEFA has different rules on loan players than the Premier League. UEFA believes that no team exerts power over another team's selection, even where loaned players are concerned. If Arsenal face Bayer Leverkusen, of which there is a 50% chance as it stands, they are able to field Piero Hincapie if they wish.