In the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, which just concluded, Arsenal drew 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen away from home.

After the match, head coach Mikel Arteta praised his players without reservation, especially the substitutes who stepped up in crucial moments.

In the 89th minute, substitute Noni Maduk won a penalty in the box, and former player Kai Havertz, who also came on as a substitute, converted the penalty under immense pressure to secure a valuable draw for his team.

Arteta was full of praise for the effect of the two substitutions: "Their appearance completely changed the course of the game, and we created a completely different threat in the penalty area. Noni created a scoring opportunity, and Kai showed great composure and calmness at such a crucial moment, so he deserves a lot of credit."

According to statistics, this is already Arsenal's seventh goal scored by substitutes in the Champions League this season, the most of any participating team. Arteta proudly stated that the team's biggest weapon is its balanced attack and multiple scoring options.

Besides the impressive performance from the substitutes, Arteta also highly praised the mental fortitude of the starting players under pressure. Just 45 seconds into the second half, Arsenal conceded a goal due to a defensive lapse.

Despite being disappointed with the team's slow start in the second half, Arteta was more proud of the players' subsequent emotional control: "When we unexpectedly fall behind, we must be able to control the game emotionally."

"If we had acted rashly at that point, the entire series could have been lost. But the boys remained absolutely calm, withstood the pressure, prevented the deficit from widening further, and finally got the chance to tie the game."

Image source: Internet/Arsenal official website