Arsenal rampant in friendly win over Bundesliga champions

Arsenal returned to the Emirates stadium ahead of the new season with a club friendly against German Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday with the Gunners showing their readiness for the new season with an impressive 4-1 victory.

Arsenal started with two quick-fire goals in the first ten minutes as Oleksandr Zichenko slammed in from inside the edge of the box off a Kai Havertz pass. The German continued to wreak havoc on his former team as he provided the assist for Leandro Trossard off a smart move by Arsenal.

With 7 minutes left in the first half, Arsenal scored a third through Gabriel Jesus, whose long-range effort crept in to put Arsenal in a comfortable position going into the break. After a flurry of second-half substitutions, the intensity dropped, and the pace of the game never remained the same, but Kai Havertz was able to do enough to get his own goal in the game in the 65th minute.

Adam Hlozeck benefited from a Nathan Tella pass late into the second half to tap in beyond Arsenal’s goalkeeper and score Bayern Leverkusen’s consolation in a 4-1 defeat. The goal provider, Nathan Tella, was delighted to play at the Emirates once again, as he had once done while playing for Southampton.

“I hadn’t really played much in the Premier League and for me that was a nice feeling to play at the Emirates in front of the Southampton fans. I think now, especially going back to the Emirates as a champion, as an invincible as well, it’s a great feeling, and it’s an amazing feeling.” Tella said.

Mikel Arteta’s men will face Lyon next at the Emirates stadium in the Emirates Cup on the 11th of August before their opening 2024/2025 Premier League fixture at home to Wolves on the 17th of August.

For Bayer Leverkusen, they will face Real Betis next in another friendly before playing Stuttgart in the German Super Cup ahead of their 2024/2025 Bundesliga season opener against Borussia Monchengladbach.