Eze, Rice fire Arsenal into UCL quarter-finals with win over Leverkusen

Arsenal eased into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League with a dominant win over Bayer Leverkusen, powered by goals from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice.

The Gunners will now face Sporting in the last eight after the Portuguese side’s dramatic comeback against Bodo/Glimt.

Arsenal take control after tight first leg

The tie was finely balanced following a 1-1 draw in the first leg, secured by a late penalty from Kai Havertz.

Arsenal started strongly and threatened from set-pieces, with Gabriel Magalhaes twice going close, only to be denied by impressive saves from Janis Blaswich.

Eze breaks through, Rice seals progress

The breakthrough came when Eze produced a moment of quality, controlling the ball on the edge of the area before firing emphatically into the top corner for his first Champions League goal.

Arsenal maintained their intensity after the break, and Rice effectively ended the contest with a well taken finish after latching onto a loose clearance.

Focus shifts to domestic final

With the result secured, manager Mikel Arteta rotated his squad ahead of a crucial domestic fixture.

Arsenal now turn attention to their upcoming clash with Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, while carrying good form into the next phase of their European campaign.