Champions League Round of 16 Draw: Arsenal face Bayern Munich

The draw for the Champions League Round of 16 pits Arsenal with Bayern Munich; Man City with Monaco, and Leicester with Sevilla.

As an Englishman, it’s been interesting absorbing the interest in the Champions League since the group phase ended. Talk of Man City and Leicester has been minimal with most of the focus being on Arsenal.

The central message has been one of failure. Arsenal has qualified for the Champions League every year since 2000-2001, but they have failed to navigate their way past the treacle of the Round of 16 in the previous six attempts.

I don’t think failure is the reason the English media is focusing on Arsenal. I believe they are in the spotlight because they represent our best hope of winning the thing, and if that’s true, they are once again going to have to do it the hard way.