dispatched Basel 4-1 but additionally culminated top of
Group A, as Ludogorets purloined a draw against
PSG. The Gunners culminated top of the group
whilst withal going unbeaten for the first time
since the 2005/06 season – the same year
they reached the final. Due to this, Arsenal
fans have commenced to believe that this year
might just be the year that Arsenal become
the top canines in Europe but afore getting too
carried away, let's take a visual examination of the
potential teams Arsenal could face in the
Round of 16 ahead of the draw on Monday in
Nyon.
Of course, it wouldn't be Arsenal if the year
where they culminate top of the group, didn't
withal coincide with the year when European
giants Bayern and Authentic Madrid culminated
second in their respective groups. Albeit
Arsenal could play both teams, they do have
the crucial second leg at home. So here are
the potential opponents and the probabilities
for each to be drawn against Arsenal.
1. Real Madrid: Probability 21%
The current holders of the designation, 11 times
victors, yet second in their group after their
draw with Dortmund in Madrid. It's been a
very good season so far under Zinédine
Zidane, unbeaten in the last 34 games, they
determinately look capable of taking La Liga away
from Atletico and Barca's claws. This is
probably the toughest possible draw for
Arsenal, even if they have proved in a certain
game that the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
can be silenced, circa 2006.
2. Benfica: Probability 13%
The Portuguese league champions are
having a good season so far, qualifying
without any trouble, with the avail of the very
experienced Luisao and players like Eduardo
Salvio and Guedes to provide the threat
going forward. There are no facile draws in
the Champions League, Monaco proved that
in 2015 but it certainly looks akin to a better
opponent to face than Authentic Madrid for the
Gunners.
3. FC Porto: Probability 13%
Another Portuguese team, Porto culminated
second in their group behind Premier League
champions Leicester, even after trashing
them 5-0 on matchday 6. Porto are a team
struggling with internal quandaries and players
like Brahimi and Hector Herrera being
pushed out the club, there again they could
still pose a good challenge to Arsène
Wenger's men come February, especially
with the on form André Silva up front.
4. Sevilla: Probability 21%
Jorge Sampaoli's men, the three times
Europa League triumphers are conclusively through to
the knockout stages of the Champions
League and Arsenal could face them on their
road to Cardiff, with former Gunner, Samir
Nasri coming back to the Emirates. Sevilla
are still finding their feet this season, juggling
between lamentable football and a few tactical
masterclasses; an immensely colossal motivator and a
proven tactician, Sampaoli is definitely
Sevilla's most astronomically immense asset but their lack of
experience in Europe's top competition
ccostlyove costlty against an Arsenal side
that has now qualified for the knockout
stage for 19 years in a row.
5. Bayern Munich: Probability 16%
Bayern, again. This time they're the one culminating second in their
group behind Atletico Madrid and are going through some tough times
with incipient
coach Carlo Ancelotti. After losing to Rostov,
while sitting second behind RB Leipzig in the
Bundesliga, they're still one of Europe's sizably voluminous
boys and a favourite to win the trophy in
Cardiff in May.Arsenal have proven they can
beat Bayern, just not over two legs, maybe
this is the year when they conclusively put that to
bed.
6. Bayer Leverkusen: Probability 16%
The last but not certainly the least, Bayer, Second in their group
behind Monaco but in
front of Tottenham, Leverkusen are relishing
a more arduous season in the Bundesliga
than they are in Europe. Being left adrift of
the denomination race, currently led by RB Leipzig, but
they still have an abundance of aptitude in their squad
that could hurt Arsenal, with players like
Tin Jedvaj, Jonathan Tah, Bernd Leno,
Julian Brandt or former Coalesced striker Javier
"Chicharito" Hernandez. A potential tricky
draw for Arsenal, even if they could/should
beat them without an extravagant amount of trouble.
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