Arsenal criticized over penalty decision

The opening match of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen concluded with a 1-1 draw, yet the main talking point afterward was a disputed penalty call late in the game.

Kai Havertz's goal from the penalty spot helped the English side avoid defeat right in Germany, while the home team was extremely upset with the referee's decision. At their home ground, Leverkusen started cautiously against the opponent from the English Premier League. The two teams battled evenly in the first half without creating many dangerous chances. Only in the second half did the match truly become exciting when the German side unexpectedly found the opening goal.

Early in the second half, Leverkusen executed a quick build-up right after kick-off. This setup led to a corner, and from it, captain Robert Andrich rose high to head in a goal, putting the hosts ahead 1-0. The goal ignited the stadium atmosphere and forced Arsenal to push forward for an equalizer.

However, the team under manager Mikel Arteta faced difficulties in organizing their attack. Arsenal's key players lacked sharpness and hardly created clear opportunities against Leverkusen's well-organized defense.

When the match seemed destined to end with a win for the Bundesliga representative, a turning point emerged in the 89th minute. Noni Madueke fell in the penalty area after contact with Malik Tillman, and the referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. After consulting VAR, the decision remained unchanged.

From the penalty spot, Kai Havertz calmly beat the Leverkusen goalkeeper, securing a 1-1 score for Arsenal. The late goal gave "The Gunners" a certain advantage ahead of the return leg at Emirates Stadium.

However, Leverkusen could not hide their anger after the match. Head coach Kasper Hjulmand insisted the incident leading to the penalty was unconvincing. According to him, Madueke fell with almost no significant impact from Tillman. "There was no clear contact. If the referee hadn't called it immediately and let VAR check first, I believe there would have been no penalty," the Danish strategist angrily shared.

On the other side, manager Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal faced many challenges during their trip to Germany. He was dissatisfied with how his team conceded from a set-piece situation, despite having prepared for this scenario beforehand.

Nevertheless, the Spanish coach was pleased that Arsenal left the away match with a draw. The return leg in London promises to be highly tense, as both teams still have full chances to secure a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.