“The belief is important” – Kasper Hjulmand on Leverkusen’s chances of shocking Arsenal

Kasper Hjulmand has opened up about Bayer Leverkusen’s hopes of pulling off an upset against Arsenal.

Bayer Leverkusen will go into their Champions League round of 16 tie with Premier League leaders Arsenal as clear underdogs, with the first leg to take place at BayArena on Wednesday.

Die Werkself coach Kasper Hjulmand is well aware of Arsenal’s quality, but believes his side have the tools to cause an upset.

“Arsenal are maybe the best team in Europe right now. It’s the toughest test, but we are excited by this opportunity. We need to enjoy this game with our fans and bring our best performance,” Hjulmand said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“It’s always about looking at the opportunities for me. Things can happen in football. Arsenal are the clear favourites; they’re at the top of their game and have been building a strong team for years,” he added.

“We have 14 new players out of 25 from last season, but we’re building, learning and adapting, and the quality is improving. If we’re sharp, if we play at our best, everyone expresses themselves, and we play with courage – then who knows? The belief is important for us. I always believe we can do it when we go into a game like this.”

Wednesday’s game at BayArena kicks off at 18:45 CET.