Arsenal FC got off lightly in Leverkusen, returning home with a 1-1 draw. Ironically, it was at his former club that Kai Havertz came to the Gunners’ rescue – and received special praise for his efforts.
“Last-minute penalties aren’t always that easy,” Kai Havertz told Sky after the 1-1 draw at the BayArena, emphasizing that “these are the moments I’ve worked for. I’m very happy about that.” Arsenal were equally pleased, as the converted penalty significantly improved their starting position for the return leg at home in a week’s time. “It was an important moment in the game, given the score. The fact that Kai remained calm and composed speaks volumes for him,” said coach Mikel Arteta, praising the 26-year-old who had come off the bench to score.
The goal threat posed by substitutes is one of the Gunners’ strengths anyway, with this being the seventh time in the current competition that a player has scored from the bench – no other team in the Champions League can match that. “That’s the great strength of this team,” Arteta knows, referring to what makes them special: “The number of goals and assists scored by the whole team. It’s incredible, it’s our greatest strength, and we have to maintain it.”
Mixed conclusion from Arteta
The Spaniard is unlikely to want to maintain the way the English league leaders presented themselves in Leverkusen. That was mixed, to say the least. “In the first half, we had phases where we were very dominant, but in the final third, we failed to convert our chances,” Arteta summarized, annoyed by simple mistakes in build-up play that allowed Bayer to “launch counterattacks. And that’s a team that’s very dangerous in that regard.”
The start of the second half was really disappointing. “We had to change a few things and were hoping to start really strongly,” revealed the 43-year-old, noting that “the exact opposite happened. We were caught cold right after the kickoff.” Arteta also pointed to Martin Terrier’s big chance, whose header David Raya saved with a great reaction. “They could have scored immediately,” said Artea, noting Robert Andrich’s 1-0 goal: “Then they scored in the next move after the free kick, which was very, very disappointing for us.”
However, he went on to praise his team’s emotionally mature performance, saying they didn’t panic and were rewarded with the equalizer. Now the Londoners have their fate in their own hands at home at the Etihad. “I can’t wait,” said Noni Madueke, who won the flattering penalty for the English side, adding optimistically: “I’m confident that we will accomplish our task.”