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Mikel Arteta says 'there is a lot to do' after Arsenal battle to first-leg draw at Bayer Leverkusen
Arsenal got a stark reminder of the difference between the Champions League's league phase and the knockout stages as they fought to a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.
The Gunners cruised through the league phase unscathed, winning all eight matches to earn the top seed and a spot in the round of 16. However, a battle-tested Leverkusen side paid little attention to their visitors' vaunted record, putting Arsenal on the back foot for several spells of Tuesday's first-leg match.
The hosts' pressure eventually led to an opening goal from the German side, ironically on a corner kick inside the first minute of the second half. From then on out it was Leverkusen stifling all Arsenal advances, until Noni Madueke earned a penalty kick in the dying moments of the match which former Leverkusen star Kai Havertz converted to salvage the draw.
"The game had very different periods," Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said after the match. "We started quite well, had a massive chance with [Gabriel] Martinelli, who hits the crossbar. In those moments if you score the game changes completely and we had certain dominance but we didn’t finish enough actions and that allows certain counter attacks and they are quite dangerous with that.
“We wanted to start the second half strongly and it was the complete opposite, not paying attention on the kick-off, which we discussed before the match. And then they have a clear header and then after they score and it’s game on and the tie changes."
Arsenal found themselves in an unfamiliar position after the Leverkusen goal, as it was the first time during the current edition of the competition that they had to play from behind. Arteta credited his players for the way they finished the match, but he urged the side to put in a better showing at Emirates Stadium next week in the second leg.
Win that game, and they're through to the quarter-finals.
"We have to use the home advantage," Arteta said. "The tie is 50/50 now. There is a lot to do.
"We are going to need our people to be at our best."
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