One Bayer Leverkusen player has now admitted that he is an Arsenal fan ahead of this evening’s pre-season friendly.
Arsenal will welcome reigning German champions Bayer Leverkusen to the Emirates Stadium this evening.
There is already a connection between the two clubs, as Granit Xhaka now plies his trade for the Bundesliga outfit, having previously spent seven seasons with the Gunners before departing as a fan-favourite. Xhaka remains supportive of Arsenal.
On top of that, the two managers, Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso, have known one another since childhood and remain close.
Now, yet another connection between the two clubs has emerged, as Bayer Leverkusen winger Nathan Tella has just opened up about his lifelong love for the North London club.
Bayer Leverkusen ace Nathan Tella reveals Arsenal connection
In a recent interview with The Athletic, looking ahead to this evening’s fixture, Tella lifted the lid on his relationship with Arsenal, where he spent a large portion of his youth, both in the academy and in the stands at the Emirates Stadium.
He said: “Yeah, I’m still an Arsenal fan. I always check the results on Sofascore. When we’re playing I’m always quick to see the line-ups and how they’re doing.
“Now, especially going back to the Emirates as a champion and an ‘invincible’ [unbeaten in the league], it’s an amazing feeling. My main focus is the game but just to play in front of my family and friends at the Emirates as an Arsenal fan and [being from] a family of Arsenal fans is a very good feeling.”
Who is Arsenal fan and Bayer Leverkusen star Nathan Tella?
The 25-year-old spent ten years in the Hale End academy system himself, dreaming of one day playing in the famous red and white for the Gunners, before being let go in the summer of 2017.
After that, Tella was afforded a second chance by Southampton, and ultimately made his first team debut for the south coast club, before an impressive loan stint with Burnley earned him his move to Germany,
Since then, the once-capped Nigeria international hasn’t looked back. He was a key figure under Alonso last season, making 39 appearances across all competitions in what turned out to be a historic campaign, as Bayer Leverkusen became Invincibles themselves, winning the Bundesliga title without losing a single match.
They also triumphed in the DFB-Pokal, and reached the final of the Europa League.
Like the Arsenal legends of the 2003/04 campaign, Tella can now call himself an Invincible too.
Of course, he is not the only famous Arsenal fan.
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