Arsenal benefit from little-known UEFA rule for Bayer Leverkusen tie
Mikel Arteta has been given a boost ahead of selecting his side.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Arsenal, Champions League, Football
Nasir Jabbar
Topics: Arsenal, Champions League, Football
Arsenal have benefited from a UEFA rule for their crunch Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen.
Arsenal, who are leading the way in the Premier League, won each of their eight Champions League league phase fixture, topping the standings to reach the next round.
They face Bundesliga outfit Leverkusen in the last-16 for a spot in the quarter-finals as they aim to win their first major European trophy.
The Gunners head to Germany having won four games in a row, including booking their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals following their 2-1 victory over Mansfield Town on Saturday.
Advert
Ahead of lining up against Leverkusen, Mikel Arteta has been given a boost as he will be able to call upon the services of Piero Hincapie despite being on loan from the German outfit.
Hincapie joined Arsenal from Leverkusen on a season-long loan last summer, with an option to make it a permanent deal at the end of the season for £45 million.
That's because, per UEFA rules, parent clubs cannot insert clauses preventing a loan player from featuring against them in European competitions.
Hincapie has been an important player under Arteta, having played 27 games across all competitions, including four Champions League appearances.
The Ecuadorian's versatility has proved to be crucial since signing for the club and he is in line to feature against Leverkusen after making an appearance off the bench against Mansfield.
A player playing against his parent club in the Champions League isn't a new thing.
Philippe Coutinho played against Barcelona while on loan at Bayern Munich in a high-profile case of this situation.
He joined the German giants on loan from Barca for the 2019/20 season and came up against his parent club in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Coutinho impressed against Barca, scoring two goals and grabbing an assist in Bayern's 8-2 thrashing in the Champions League in 2020.