How Arsenal's Kai Havertz emulated Nicklas Bendtner with last-gasp Bayer Leverkusen penalty

Arsenal striker Kai Havertz emulated former Gunners maverick Nicklas Bendtner in Wednesday's 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Mikel Arteta's men travelled to the BayArena protecting a flawless Champions League record, having become the first team to win all eight of their games in the new league phase since the new format came into effect last year.

However, Arsenal were off the pace from minute one against Kasper Hjulmand's men, who were barely threatened from open play barring one Gabriel Martinelli strike that smacked against the crossbar.

The Premier League leaders were then given a brutal dose of their own set-piece medicine, as in the first minute of the second half, Robert Andrich lost his marker at the back post and headed the hosts in front from a corner.

Leverkusen's opening goal triggered a bold change from Arteta, who withdrew the ineffective Bukayo Saka for Noni Madueke, and the alteration proved an inspired one as the ex-Chelsea winger won a last-gasp penalty for Havertz to convert.

Kai Havertz copies Nicklas Bendtner with late Arsenal penalty vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Kai Havertz comes back to haunt his former club as Arsenal draw level ?@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Akuqprw5qE

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2026

The Germany international refused to celebrate against the club where he is still held in extremely high regard, six years on from his £72m move to Chelsea, which helped fund Leverkusen's Bundesliga Invincibles squad.

By coolly slotting home his last-gasp penalty - which was timed at 88 minutes and 33 seconds - Havertz scored the latest Arsenal spot kick in a major European game in 16 years.

The last player to score a later European penalty for Arsenal - excluding shootouts - was the infamous Bendtner, who tucked away from the spot at 90 minutes and 26 seconds against Porto in March 2010.

Arsenal had coincidentally fallen short in the first leg of that last-16 tie too - losing 2-1 to Porto away from home before thrashing the Primeira Liga giants 5-0 at the Emirates, where Bendtner bagged a hat-trick.

Arteta's men will have the opportunity to repeat that feat when Leverkusen arrive in North London next Tuesday, prior to which the Gunners host Everton in the capital in Saturday's Premier League clash.

Mikel Arteta gives Leandro Trossard injury update after Arsenal draw

89 - Kai Havertz’s penalty, timed at 88 minutes and 33 seconds, was Arsenal’s latest penalty goal in a major European game since Nicklas Bendtner scored v FC Porto in March 2010 (90:26). Pressure. pic.twitter.com/AM7f3o9R7y

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 11, 2026

Havertz's penalty in Leverkusen marked the German's first goal since recovering from a muscular injury, but there was no Leandro Trossard in the Gunners' squad due to the Belgian's own fitness issue.

Trossard had sustained an injury in the first half of last weekend's 2-1 FA Cup win over Mansfield Town, but the winger was expected to be fit for the first leg after being filmed in training.

However, Trossard was not part of the matchday squad to face Die Werkself, and Arteta explained a bit more about his absence in his post-game press conference.

"He trained yesterday but he wasn't comfortable to play. He said he was still feeling something and you need at this level the players at 100% and he wasn't," Arteta responded when asked about Trossard's omission.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion man remains a doubt for this weekend's visit of Everton, as does Martin Odegaard, who was also missing from Wednesday's draw due to his knee issue.