Havertz admits 'feeling guilty' towards Leverkusen after controversial equalizer

Kai Havertz scored a penalty in the 89th minute, helping Arsenal draw 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. After the match, the German forward admitted mixed emotions and apologized to his former club.

Kai Havertz became the focal point on his return to BayArena by scoring the equalizing goal for Arsenal from a penalty kick in the closing minutes of the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Bayer Leverkusen.

The match was tense as Leverkusen played with great determination at home and were very close to victory at one point. However, the turning point came in the 89th minute when Noni Madueke fell in the penalty area after a collision with Malik Tillman. The referee immediately awarded Arsenal a penalty despite strong protests from the home players.

Kai Havertz, who was substituted in by manager Mikel Arteta in the 74th minute, stepped up to take the decisive shot. The German forward made no mistake, beating the Leverkusen goalkeeper to level the score at 1-1, thereby allowing Arsenal to leave Germany with a favorable result ahead of the return leg.

Notably, this was Havertz's first return to BayArena since leaving Leverkusen in 2020. After the match, the German international admitted his emotions were quite mixed when scoring against his former club. “Penalties in the final minutes are never easy, but it was a moment I've worked for many years to experience. I'm very happy to score, though I also feel a bit sorry for the Leverkusen players,” Havertz shared.

Before Arsenal's equalizer, Leverkusen were the better team in the second half. In the 52nd minute, from a corner kick, Robert Andrich rose high to head the ball into the net, putting the Bundesliga representative ahead. This was also the first time Arsenal conceded a goal in the Champions League this season.

The late penalty immediately sparked major controversy. Andrich argued the contact was too slight for a penalty, while manager Kasper Hjulmand stated the situation lacked sufficient grounds for such a decision. Nevertheless, the 1-1 draw remained, making the tie unpredictable ahead of the return leg at Emirates on March 17.