"Arsenal would be nice. I said the same thing when we could've faced Dortmund in the previous round. Especially that we would be able to meet two of our former players in Kai Havertz and Piero Hincapié. Nobody wants these ties between teams from the same country."
"We knew from the start that we would face a top club anyway. I stand by my opinion: I would prefer not to face a German team, so that perhaps enough German teams can still stay in the competition."
"I think it's a bit too early for a German-German tie. It doesn't have this Champions League character somehow. So if I could have my wish, then Arsenal. It would be a bit cooler to travel to London and for them to come here."
Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen have developed an exhausting rivalry, repeatedly meeting across the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League. Front office and players from Leverkusen expressed weariness about potential Champions League matchups between the two German clubs. Sporting director Simon Rolfes stated preference for Arsenal, noting that domestic ties lack appeal. Players Robert Andrich and Jonas Hofmann echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing desire to face international opponents to preserve German representation in European competition and maintain the prestige associated with Champions League encounters. Their responses reflect fatigue rather than fear, driven by desire for competitive variety and the unique character international matchups provide.
#bayern-munich-vs-bayer-leverkusen #champions-league #german-football-rivalry #domestic-competition-fatigue #bundesliga
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