Arsenal are still in the tie, which is all that matters at this point. Following a 1-1 draw in Germany, they will welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Emirates Stadium next Tuesday for a one-leg shootout.
The Gunners were far from their best. To be honest, Leverkusen were also not that good. However, when two teams with powerful defensive units face off, it’s unlikely that the game will be particularly entertaining.
Nonetheless, following Robert Andrich’s second-half header, Mikel Arteta’s team came back through Kai Havertz, Reported on X.
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After playing for Leverkusen for nearly a decade, the German returned to his homeland to score a crucial penalty kick in the final minutes of the game. A fortunate equaliser? Perhaps, but Arsenal will not care.
They will, however, need to do far better in the second leg if they hope to move to the Champions League quarterfinals. That includes starboy Bukayo Saka, who is no longer untouchable.
Bukayo Saka’s Tough Night in Germany
By Saka’s lofty standards, this campaign has been distinctly ordinary.
For a long time, he was the Arteta project’s poster boy. He has been the go-to man in attack and a saviour on numerous occasions. However, since recovering from a long-term hamstring injury last season, the winger has not been the same.
The England international has nine goals and seven assists this season, which are not bad stats but much below normal for a player of his caliber.
Saka has only found the net twice in 2026. He’s only scored twice in his last 21 outings. That’s a run of form that dates back to Brentford on December 3rd.
While the wide player has not been at his best, this was perhaps one of his worst performances in Arsenal colours. It spoke volumes that Arteta opted to replace him after 60 minutes.
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