Arteta hails 'magical' Eze after Arsenal star sinks Leverkusen

Mikel Arteta saluted Eberechi Eze’s moment of magic as the Arsenal star’s thunderbolt inspired a 2-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday.

Arteta’s side pounded Leverkusen right from the start at the Emirates Stadium and Eze ensured their dominance was rewarded with a blistering strike from the edge of the area late in the first half.

Declan Rice’s clinical finish after the interval sealed Arsenal’s 3-1 aggregate victory, setting up a quarter-final clash with Sporting Lisbon.

Eze’s first Champions League goal extended his recent revival after a disappointing start to his first season with the Gunners following his summer move from Crystal Palace.

Arteta has selected Eze more often recently in the absence of Martin Odegaard and the England midfielder has seized his opportunity.

“We started the game so well and we were a threat from every angle. Their keeper kept them in the game and we needed a magical moment from Ebs to give us the lead,” Arteta said.

“Ebs is playing every three days, he has rhythm, has an understanding with the players and this is why he is here.

“He is building an understanding with all of them and when you start to make key moments in games that lifts your confidence.”

Rice was also influential for Arsenal as they completely out-classed Leverkusen.

The England midfielder, who bagged his first Champions League goal this season, drew praise from Arteta for pushing Arsenal to new heights.

– ‘The passion is remarkable’ –

“In the second half Declan’s action gave us the opportunity to win the game,” he said.

“It’s the Champions League. When you have four or five chances and if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net, it gets frustrating.

“It was an incredible moment from Declan to finish the game. We want to try and get more chances like that for people because we have got a lot of players that can do that.

“Declan was immense, him and the whole team – the manner they go into every ball and the passion they show is remarkable.”

Arsenal have won nine and drawn one of their 10 games in the Champions League this season.

They will be favoured to dispatch Sporting in the last eight after routing the Portuguese club 5-1 in the Champions League group stage last season.

Brushing aside Leverkusen was ideal preparation for Arsenal’s bid to win a first trophy in six years against Manchester City in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

Quadruple-chasing Arsenal, whose last silverware came in the 2020 FA Cup, sit nine points clear of second-placed City at the top of the Premier League as they chase a first English title in 22 years.

They are also set to meet second tier Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals later in April.

It is shaping up to be an incredible campaign for Arsenal, who have never won the Champions League, losing their only final appearance against Barcelona in 2006.

“We had four or five situations where we should have scored a third but overall we fully deserved to win and be into the quarter-finals,” said Arteta, who was able to replace several key players in the second half to keep them fresh.

“It was good to rotate and get those players in but I had certain players that needed to come off because of the amount of time they are playing,” he said.

“That’s why they came off, nothing to do with Sunday.”