oi-Sauradeep Ash

Arsenal have booked their place in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals for the third consecutive season, defeating Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the second leg at the Emirates Stadium to advance 3-1 on aggregate.

The tie had been delicately poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at BayArena on March 11, where Kai Havertz’s late penalty against his former club cancelled out Robert Andrich’s opener for Leverkusen.

In the return fixture on March 17, Mikel Arteta’s side delivered a professional and dominant performance. Eberechi Eze opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a moment of individual brilliance: receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he spun away from his marker and unleashed a stunning half-volley into the top corner for his first-ever Champions League goal. It was a strike worthy of deciding any knockout tie.

Declan Rice sealed the victory in the 63rd minute with a composed low curler from outside the area, his first UCL goal of the campaign. Arsenal controlled proceedings throughout, creating numerous chances while limiting Leverkusen to few clear opportunities. David Raya’s late save in the dying minutes preserved the clean sheet.This result underscores Arsenal’s growing maturity in Europe under Arteta. After topping their league phase with an unbeaten record (8 wins, 23 goals scored), the Gunners have now overcome a strong German side to reach the last eight.

Arsenal will face Sporting CP in the quarterfinals, a matchup that pits them as favorites given their form and home strength. Fans at the Emirates erupted in celebration, sensing this could be the year the club ends their long wait for European silverware.

With key players like Eze shining and Rice providing midfield steel, Arsenal look well-equipped for the challenges ahead in April. The Gunenrs will immediately shift their focus to Carabao Cup Final, as they face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on Sunday.

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