Quadruple talk in March?
How premature. Arsenal are still on track to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. On paper, they are the better side compared to Bayer Leverkusen.
Though, from Leverkusen’s showing, that reality didn’t transpire. Far from it.
Next Tuesday will test the Gunners’ resolve and they ought to be better, especially if this team are to win multiple trophies this season.
Substitute Kai Havertz bailed out the north London club with an 89th-minute penalty in a game meandering to a first Arsenal defeat in the Champions League this season.
It was a soft penalty, Noni Madueke having darted into the area, with Malik Tillman having made minimal contact with the winger.
Kai Havertz scored a late penalty as Arsenal drew 1-1 against Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie
Havertz came back to haunt his former side after Noni Madueke was fouled inside the box
Robert Andrich had given Leverkusen a shock lead right at the start of the second half
In fairness, Mikel Arteta had thus swatted away any questions in relation to the Q-word. It’s far too early, he argued; that appears to be wise counsel.
Leverkusen did to Arsenal what Arsenal have done to so many sides this season — death by set-pieces.
Not just any kind of set-piece, either, but a looping corner reaching the back post, in trademark Arsenal fashion.
And no, a cat-like David Raya save could not initially save them this time, having tipped Martin Terrier’s header over the bar which resulted in the fateful corner.
Alejandro Grimaldo’s corner reached the back post, where a free Robert Andrich snuck in to powerfully head past Raya.
To add further anguish, Andrich could have arguably been sent off for a second foul on Viktor Gyokeres on six minutes having already been on a yellow card.
For all the pre-match niceties of gifting their old boy Havertz a tribute painting for his 10 years at the club, and welcoming back loanee Piero Hincapie, Leverkusen were not here to make up the numbers.
This was supposed to be the north London club’s gift for finishing top of the league phase, the only side to win all eight of their fixtures. Instead, the Gunners suffered and have to be fully switched on at the Emirates.
A word for Christian Kofane, too. Not many strikers are able to cause Gabriel problems, never mind pressuring him to the point where he required assistance at times. The 19-year-old striker will be relishing the second leg.
The two teams achieved Invincibles status in the 21st century, Leverkusen going a full league season unbeaten in 2024 — 20 years after Arsenal did the same.
That is where the similarities initially ended; on the pitch, the results have been wide apart thus far this season.
Leverkusen had only won three of their matches and suffered a humbling 7-2 defeat at home to Paris St-Germain. They subsequently had to navigate a two-legged play-off tie against Olympiakos to reach this stage.
Given Arsenal’s strength at set-pieces it was ironic that Andrich headed home from a corner
Gabriel Martinelli had earlier hit the crossbar in Arsenal’s best chance of the first half
It was a slightly frustrating night for Mikel Arteta but his side are still favourites to progress
Arteta made 10 changes from the FA Cup fifth round victory over Mansfield Town, with Leverkusen old boy Havertz on the bench.
The Gunners stroked the ball around nicely early on, the opposition sat back willing to soak up pressure — though with an eye to get forward.
With Kofane as a fast, strong outlet up front, the home side sensed they would get their chances and duly did.
Gabriel dithered on the ball, with the striker pressuring him. The forward robbed the Brazilian of possession and marched towards goal, before Hincapie bailed his team-mate out. It was an early warning at the 14-minute mark.
Soon after, Arsenal were inches away from their opening goal. A sweeping move forward saw Eberechi Eze smartly let the ball run past him to Gyokeres. He teed up Martinelli, his left-footed strike striking the crossbar on 19 minutes.
Ibrahim Maza had a shot lash high and wide, yet Arsenal found themselves time and again in the final third — but lacking a killer pass to break through.
Eze lost the ball a few times in the middle and it begged the thought — how Martin Odegaard is missed for games such as these.
The Norwegian, not in the squad due to a knee injury, controls the tempo in midfield and — when on song — has the ability to break open backlines with his incisive passing.
Going into the second half, Leverkusen flew out of the traps. Raya tipped over Terrier’s header — though could not do anything about the resulting corner which Andrich scored from.
The Germans looked to be en route to pulling off a famous victory, before their darling Havertz struck from the penalty spot late on.
How cruel.
