Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen Highlights, UEFA Champions League: Eze, Rice's Goals Drive Arteta's Side To Quarter-Final

Hello, football fans! This is the start of our live blog covering Bayer Leverkusen’s trip to London to face Arsenal in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 match. Stay tuned for pre-match updates and line-ups as they are announced.

Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen meet tonight at the Emirates Stadium with their Champions League Round of 16 tie perfectly balanced at 1-1. In the first leg at the BayArena, Arsenal fell behind for the first time in this season's competition when Robert Andrich scored a header just after half-time. The Premier League leaders struggled to create clear chances until the final minutes, when substitute Noni Madueke won a penalty. Kai Havertz stepped up to score against his former club, ensuring the London side returned home on level terms.

In the other matches of UEFA Champions League 2025-26. Sporting CP take on Bodo/Glimt, Real Madrid visit Manchester City and Chelsea host PSG. Check the live score of all the UCL 2025-26 round of 16 second leg matches.

The UEFA Champions League 2025-26 matches, including Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen, will be live-streamed on the SonyLIV app and website in India. There will be no television broadcast of the game.

The two sides first met during the 2001/02 Champions League second group stage. This was a legendary Leverkusen side that would eventually reach the final that year. Their first meeting ended in a tense 1-1 draw at the BayArena. Robert Pires scored for Arsenal, while Ulf Kirsten equalized for the Germans.

Just eight days later, Arsenal produced one of their greatest European home performances, winning 4-1. Four club icons—Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and Robert Pirès—all found the net in a dominant display.

After a 24-year gap without a competitive meeting, the two clubs were finally drawn together in the 2025/26 Round of 16.

The match has commenced at the Emirates Stadium in London and Bayer Leverkusen are the first to attack. They take on the Arsenal defence from the right side. Arsenal are in their home kit and are attacking from left to right. Bayer Leverkusen are in their away kit and building up from right to left.

An even first ten minutes see both sides going out at each other. Grimaldo defends Saka on the right, and Arsenal have their first corner of the night. The number seven sends in an in-swinger, and Gabriel inadvertently shoulders wide from the near post.

Meanwhile, Maza drives down the left and cuts back in to find Palacios. The midfielder's strike from range is comfortably blocked, and the men in blue are sent backwards to rebuild possession in their own half. After this, Gyokeres' early duel with Andrich continues to take form, with the Leverkusen captain sending the ball behind on the left for the hosts' second corner of the night.

Rice's delivery is headed out confidently by Kofane. Eze then tries to float one over for Gabriel, but it's a tad too high for the Brazilian, and he can't get the ball under his spell.

Arsenal increases pressure. Saka bends in a great delivery as Blaswich deals with a crowded six-yard box. Gabriel rises, but it's just over the bar. Hincapie crosses from the left, and with Quansah jumping to block, it's deemed to hit his hand. Rice paces in a wicked free-kick and Blaswich has to parry away from a dangerous area!

What a save from Blaswich. Gyokeres and Rice dovetail nicely, and after Saka works it back inside after being sent wide right by a deflection, Trossard blasts an effort that looked destined for the back of the net. Somehow, the German stopper diverts it off the line and past the left post! Great reactions.

Touch of finesse from Eberechi Eze and Arsenal lead. Trossard finds Eze before the Leverkusen box, and the midfielder swivels on his first touch before violently belting past Blaswich high into the left of the goal. A solid strike from the Gunners midfielder and the hosts were finally able to breach the Leverkusen goalkeeper.

With that being his first European goal of the campaign, Eze is now the second English player to score for Arsenal in the Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season. He follows Theo Walcott in 2012-13.

The Emirates Stadium is still in awe of Eze's goal and not much happened after it was scored. Arsenal lead while going in the break. They have been the better side in the first half and could have scored another if not for the sensational performance from Bayer Leverkusen's goalkeeper. Arsenal will continue to use set-pieces as their primary threat and their goal will be to be convert another chance and then close the game out. Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, will have to enter the second half stronger.

Arsenal try to push Bayer Leverkusen on backfoot early in the second half. Leandro Trossard whips an effort just wide of the right post from the left as Blaswich could only watch on helplessly! If that had gone in, it still would've been the second-best goal of the night.

Rice gets his first goal of the Champions League season and looks to settle this tie. Leverkusen are clumsy while clearing their lines and the ball drops to Declan Rice. He charges in, traps the ball brilliantly and then drives at the Leverkusen defence before slotting in the ball past the goalkeeper. Beautiful work from Declan Rice and it almost seals Arsenal's place in the quarter-final.

Arsenal's goal gets disallowed. Havertz has emerged for his 100th appearance for Arsenal in all competitions, and looks to have marked it with a goal! However, the celebrations quickly become muted as his bundling effort from close range is chalked off for a shove and a handball in the build-up.

Despite being ahead by two goals, Arsenal keep things tight on Leverkusen. Saka shifts past Grimaldo on Arsenal's right with a slick stepover combination. He shoots, but Blaswich stands firm to parry behind.

Amid a brilliant show by Blaswich, Raya joins the party too. He tips away brilliantly as Kofane sends a stretched effort goalwards from inside the right of the box at the unsighted keeper! Top reflexes.

Amid the big ticket UCL matches, a shocker of a news has developed. The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the final, with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of Morocco. So Morocco are declared the new champions of AFCON.

Another calculated win for Mikel Arteta at his backyard and Arsenal enters the quarter-final of UEFA Champions League 2025-26. They have been in control throughout the game and created multiple chances to score. If not for Leverkusen goalkeeper Blaswich, Arsenal could have scored at least two more. Eberechi Eze's brilliant goal from half-turn gave them the lead and another sensational goal from Declan Rice doubled it up and sealed the deal for them. Arteta's side keep doing well in both league and Europe and now their goal will be to go all the way to the title.