Arsenal faced a tough test in Germany during their Champions League trip. The first leg with Bayer Leverkusen ended in a 1-1 draw. However, before the match, a former Gunners defender gave a detailed review on how the match can end up. His warning proved almost accurate. The London club had trouble finding its usual rhythm on the night.
Shkodran Mustafi’s analysis before Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen clash
Shkodran Mustafi is a former Arsenal defender who has won 2 FA Cups with the club. He is also a World Cup winner with Germany in 2014. Mustafi gave his opinion during an interview before the match.
He noted that the Gunners are playing a dominant brand of football. But they must avoid the trap of overlooking Bayer Leverkusen. “Arsenal can only be successful if they take every opponent seriously,” he stated as per sources. He pointed to recent draws in the Premier League with Brentford and Wolves as a clear alarm for the squad.
His analysis noted that the German side must remain brave in one-on-one battles to reveal defensive gaps. Moreover, he urged them to attack the space behind the backline where the visitors are at times vulnerable. Mustafi also pointed out the danger of the set pieces the visitors have. He warned the home team to avoid giving up corners at all costs.
Finally, he predicted that Declan Rice would be the most important player for his team. He noted that Rice effectively combines defence and attack. Mustafi also spoke about his fellow German citizen Kai Havertz. He believed the attacker would play a key role due to his aerial presence. He noted that Havertz had bulked up physically during a previous injury layoff, which now benefits his game.
What did Mustafi get right?
Many of Mustafi’s predictions came true in the tense meeting. Arsenal’s display was rather rough in this Champions League clash. As per match reports, Mikel Arteta made ten changes to the starting lineup for this match compared to the squad that had defeated Mansfield Town in the FA Cup.
Defensive issues grew visible early on as Gabriel Magalhaes found himself shaken by the physicality of Christian Kofane. However, Declan Rice proved his importance. He tracked back the teenage striker to stop the lethal run.
The visitors almost took the lead earlier in the 19th minute when Gabriel Martinelli crashed a shot against the crossbar. However, the first half was largely dull.
The first goal came from a corner by Leverkusen in the 46th minute, a weapon the visitors usually master themselves. Bayer’s Robert Andrich escaped his marker to head home for the hosts just seconds into the second half. Ironically, the social media team for Leverkusen jokingly posted “no corners allowed” before the start. It was a witty reference to the visitor’s well-known skills in set pieces.
Noni Madueke brought a spark off the bench in the 60th minute. He won the crucial penalty after a mazy run into the area. He was tripped by Malik Tillman, leading to a penalty for the English side. After the penalty award, a lengthy VAR check and antics from the home players delayed the strike. Kai Havertz eventually ended up being the decisive man, as stated by Mustafi. Havertz scored the penalty against his former team.
This was their first meeting in the competition since 2002, when they were drawn in the same group. Interestingly, that away game also ended 1-1. Arsenal won the home leg 4-1.
Looking forward to the clash at Emirates
Arsenal left Germany with a tough draw. But defensive concerns remain at the highest level. Mustafi’s cautions proved nearly accurate. The second leg at the Emirates takes place on Tuesday, March 17. Arteta’s men must now turn this lesson into a quarter-final place.