Arteta Confident Arsenal Will ‘Finish It in London’ After Leverkusen Draw

• Arsenal drew 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League round-of-16 first leg.
• Kai Havertz scored a late penalty against his former club to cancel out Robert Andrich’s opener.
• Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal must improve ahead of the decisive second leg in London.

Arsenal F.C. manager Mikel Arteta said his side must raise their performance levels but remains confident they can progress in the UEFA Champions League after a 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen.

Substitute Kai Havertz scored an 89th-minute penalty to cancel out Robert Andrich’s header shortly after half-time in the round-of-16 first leg at the BayArena.

Arsenal struggled to impose themselves for long periods in Germany. Gabriel Martinelli struck the crossbar early in the match, but the visitors managed only two shots on target as Leverkusen threatened to take control of the tie.

Despite the underwhelming display, the late equaliser leaves Arsenal well placed ahead of next week’s return leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta acknowledged his team must improve in London.

“It is a reminder of how difficult it is to win against any opponent in the competition and especially away from home,” Arteta said after the match.

“Then you realise what we’ve done to win eight games in this competition during the group stage, because it’s so tough that nobody did it before.

“Fully aware of that, we knew the importance of the game and the difficulty of the opponent and now we need to finish it in London.”

Arteta added that his team would look to improve their execution in the second leg.

“The level of execution obviously has to be better and it will be better in the second leg. We’ll adapt a few things and move on.”

The equalising goal came from Havertz, who returned to the club where he began his professional career. The Germany international spent a decade with Leverkusen before moving to Chelsea F.C. in 2020 and later joining Arsenal in 2023.

Havertz was applauded by supporters when he entered the match late in the second half and kept his composure to convert the penalty.

“Football is a funny game and it brings special stories,” Arteta said. “For him to come back here after such a long time and score such an important goal is a big moment.”

Havertz said his familiarity with the stadium helped him remain calm under pressure.

“I know the stadium well and have taken many penalties from this spot,” he said. “The time between the penalty whistle and the penalty kick felt like an eternity, but in the end you have to be mentally present in those moments.”

Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand questioned the decision by referee Umut Meler to award the late penalty following a challenge by Malik Tillman on Noni Madueke.

“For me it is not a penalty,” Hjulmand said. “Sometimes the referee shouldn’t blow the whistle and then check with VAR. If he whistles, it is not a clear and obvious mistake so it stays.”

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Hailey

Hailey Russell is a football journalist and former Division 1 collegiate athlete in the United States, bringing a unique blend of elite playing experience and professional insight to her work. Currently competing at the professional level in Europe, Hailey combines first-hand knowledge of the modern game with sharp analysis across match reports, player development, and tactical breakdowns.

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