Arsenal get Champions League last-16 opponent update as Mikel Arteta downplays advantage

Mikel Arteta will soon pick up preparations for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, with a draw taking place next week

Arsenal have been given a clearer idea of who they could face in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. As it stands, subject to a draw later this month, the Gunners will face the knockout phase play-off winner of either Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen vs Olympiacos.

Borussia Dortmund won the first leg of their tie on Tuesday night, putting two past Atalanta at the Signal Iduna Park. Serhou Guirassy broke the deadlock in the opening couple of minutes before Maximilian Beier doubled the Bundesliga outfit's lead.

The following evening, Bayer Leverkusen also banked a 2-0 victory, defeating Olympiacos in their own backyard. Patrik Schick netted a three-minute brace on the hour mark, taking a healthy lead back to the BayArena for the second leg.

On Friday, February 27, once the knockout phase play-offs have concluded, UEFA will draw the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, allowing the likes of Arsenal to plot their path to the final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest.

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The north Londoners will then discover whether they're on the silver path or the blue path. Assuming Dortmund and Leverkusen hold onto their leads and qualify, they will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, who secured first and second place seeds from the 'group phase', respectively, in the last 16.

Meanwhile, also subject to a draw, Chelsea will face the knockout phase play-offs winner of either Paris Saint-Germain vs Monaco or Newcastle United vs Qarabag in the last 16. In the same vein, Tottenham Hotspur will face the winner of either Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge or Galatasaray vs Juventus.

Arsenal topped the 'group phase' and they were the only team to remain unbeaten, winning each of their eight games. After a perfect start to the campaign, Mikel Arteta attributed the achievement to his players' attitude.

"Yes, I’m very proud of the players and the run that we had in this first stage of the competition," said the Spaniard. "It’s very difficult to win eight games in a row in the Champions League, and you can see what happened with all the [other] teams.

"We really need to acknowledge that. Today's game, with a lot of changes as well, started in a really good way. The attitude was spot on from everybody. We demanded that."

On having a home advantage in the Champions League knockout stages, Arteta added: "In principle, on paper, it’s something positive. The main thing was to avoid another two games with the schedule that we have already and then make the most out of it.

"We have to wait and see who our next opponent is going to be, and in the meantime, we’re going to be so busy with the other competitions."

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