‘Not amazing, not terrible’ – Noni Madueke reflects on Leverkusen draw ahead of Emirates return leg

Arsenal winger Noni Madueke insisted the mood in the dressing room after their 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen was balanced, describing the result as ‘not amazing; not terrible.’

The Gunners had initially taken the lead through Robert Andrich, but Kai Havertz converted a late 89th-minute penalty, awarded following a challenge by Madueke, to level the score in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday.

Madueke, who came off the bench after the hour mark, expressed confidence ahead of the return match at the Emirates Stadium.

“I think it’s all to play for in London, in our stadium where we’re so, so good. I think it’s fine, everyone’s fine,” he said. He added that the Emirates atmosphere will be crucial: “We’re going to need [our supporters] and we’re confident we’ll get the job done.”

Reflecting on his own performance, Madueke highlighted the impact substitutes can make. “Whether I start the game or I’m on the bench, I feel like my skillset is unique, so I just try to play my game and thank God to play for this Arsenal team,” he said.

He described the moment leading to the penalty: “I just picked up the ball and my instinct told me to go, so I just went. Obviously when you see VAR, you just think: ‘oh my days’. But I knew it was a penalty.”

Madueke also praised Havertz and the depth of Arsenal’s squad, underlining the competition and quality within the team.

“Kai’s a class player. Everybody knows his qualities, everybody knows the strength in depth we have in this team, so whether you start or finish, there’s always room for you to make an impact,” he added.

Despite the late equaliser, Madueke’s measured assessment reflects Arsenal’s focus on the second leg. The Gunners will look to capitalise on home advantage, confident that their supporters and squad depth can tilt the tie in their favour.

The London leg promises an electric atmosphere as Arsenal aim to secure a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.