Bayer Leverkusen vs. Arsenal: Head-to-head record and past meetings

Seeking an astonishing ninth straight victory in the Champions League, Arsenal resume their quest for continental glory on Wednesday evening, when they do battle with Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their last-16 encounter.

The Gunners were the only team to end the league phase with an unrivalled 100% record, taking down the likes of Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan and being rewarded with a favourable path to the final.

Kasper Hjulmand's side will still be no pushovers, but the German outfit won just three of their eight league-phase matches and were forced to fight for their last-16 spot in the playoffs, getting the better of Olympiacos 2-0.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 2

Bayer Leverkusen wins: 0

Draws: 1

Arsenal wins: 1

Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal were not total strangers to one another before the 2025-26 Champions League campaign, but the first leg of the last-16 tie between Die Werkself and the Gunners will mark just their third-ever competitive meeting.

The German and English titans first crossed paths during the 2001-02 tournament, back in the days of two separate group stages, the second of which was held instead of a last-16 knockout round.

Arsenal and Leverkusen both finished second in their first group stage before being paired together for the next four-team battle, and the inaugural battle took place on German soil in February 2002.

Arsene Wenger's men drew first blood through winger Robert Pires, but after Ray Parlour was sent off for two bookable offences, Leverkusen equalised right at the death through Ulf Kirsten.

Eight days later at Highbury, Arsenal put things right, as the Gunners demolished Leverkusen 4-1 thanks to four goals from four legends - Pires, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp.

However, Wenger's men were still eliminated from the competition owing to their third-placed finish in the second group stage, while Leverkusen topped the standings and memorably progressed all the way to the final, where the iconic Zinedine Zidane volley propelled Real Madrid to a 2-1 win.

Arsenal and Leverkusen would not lock horns again until the summer of 2024, when Mikel Arteta's men hosted Xabi Alonso's side in pre-season, shortly after Die Werkself completed a spectacular unbeaten Bundesliga season.

Leverkusen's Invincibles were no match for the Gunners, though, as Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz found the net in a 4-1 Emirates success.