Arsenal vs. Bayer Leverkusen: Watch Eberechi Eze's outrageous opening goal in Champions League second leg

Eberechi Eze scored a magnificent goal to put Arsenal 1-0 up in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates.

The former Crystal Palace playmaker held his place in the first XI despite a largely underwhelming display against Everton in Saturday's Premier League win, leading to suggestions that Bukayo Saka could be utilised as a number 10 instead.

However, Mikel Arteta kept his faith in Eze, who repaid his manager with a ferocious strike to put Arsenal ahead on aggregate, following last week's 1-1 draw at the BayArena.

The Premier League leaders struggled to get the better of an inspired Janis Blaswich in the Leverkusen goal early doors, but few goalkeepers would have kept out Eze's first-half rocket.

Receiving the ball from Leandro Trossard with his back to goal, Eze took one touch with his left foot, turned inside and picked out the top corner with a wonderful half-volley from 20 yards.

The nonchalant England international kept his celebrations to a minimum too, simply pointing to the Arsenal badge while his teammates and supporters revelled in his astonishing strike.

Arsenal vs. Bayer Leverkusen: It's happened again for the German giants

Eze with a rocket to fire Arsenal into the lead at the Emirates ??

? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Ze8euGBuDg

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 17, 2026

While not quite a 'pure volley', Eze's stunning effort may evoke painful memories for Leverkusen fans of a certain age - those old enough to remember the 2001-02 Champions League final.

On that fateful evening, Die Werkself were the victims of one of the all-time goals in professional football - not just the Champions League - as Zinedine Zidane scored that volley for Real Madrid to secure victory for Los Blancos.

Eze's goal tonight will not win Arsenal the Champions League - nor would it be fair to compare the Englishman's strike to Zidane's - but they are the moments of magic he was brought in to provide.

Eze had never found the back of the net in the Champions League before Tuesday's second leg, and the challenge now for the playmaker is to produce those feats of individual brilliance on a more regular basis for the Gunners.

However, if Martin Odegaard's knee injury keeps him out of Sunday's EFL Cup final against Manchester City, Eze has surely played his way into a start at Wembley, where few Citizens fans need reminding of his FA Cup final feats from last season.

Should Arsenal maintain or extend their lead vs. Leverkusen, they will meet Sporting Lisbon in the quarter-finals, and the Gunners have already received an early suspension boost for a possible meeting with the Portuguese giants.