Declan Rice had nothing but good things to say about Eberechi Eze following Arsenal’s commanding 2-0 (3-1 aggregate) victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Gunners secured their place in the quarter-finals, where they will meet Sporting CP, with a dominant display, and the night belonged to two midfield maestros.
Late in the first half, Eze produced a moment of pure magic—scoring a sensational goal from the edge of the box that stunned teammates, fans, and viewers alike. Picking up the ball after neat interplay, he spun, teed himself up, and unleashed a thunderous strike that rocketed into the top corner, leaving Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich with no chance. It was Eze’s first Champions League goal for Arsenal and a genuine contender for goal of the season.
Rice, who later added a clinical second in the 63rd minute to seal the tie, was full of admiration for his teammate’s quality. Speaking post-match, Rice highlighted Eze’s exceptional shooting ability:
“He’s got one of the best shots I’ve seen, left foot and right foot. We need to keep getting him in those areas because, honestly, he’s frightening.
“Around the edge of the box, left foot and right foot, there are not many players I’ve seen hit the ball better than him. We need to keep giving him the ball around the edge because he can make things happen.”
