\n<\/p>\n
Kai Havertz grabbed a late, late winner in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final in Lisbon on Tuesday, but after the game he was quick to pay credit to the man who assisted the goal.<\/p>\n
Gabriel Martinelli also came off the bench with the score locked at 0-0 in the second half, and it was an excellent pass from the Brazilian that created the chance for Havertz to convert. <\/p>\n
It was the eighth Champions League goal we have scored via a substitute this season, and gives us a narrow advantage going into the second leg at Emirates Stadium next week. <\/p>\n
\u201cI’ve said that about 80 per cent of the goal goes to him,\u201d Havertz said afterwards. \u201cI was there to finish it off. I but it was a top assist from him, I saw him and he just played the perfect pass and it was a good goal.”<\/p>\n
Our German forward also praised the contribution of David Raya, who turned in a player of the match performance to preserve our clean sheet. <\/p>\n
“He’s unbelievable – I still think people underestimate him in the football world, but for the last two years, I don’t know, maybe he’s been the best ‘keeper in the world and we’re all glad to have him here.”<\/p>\n
It was also the perfect way to bounce back after successive defeats, and sets us up for our return to Premier League action this weekend at home to Bournemouth. <\/p>\n
“Yeah I think we needed that as we were all frustrated with how the last couple of weeks went,\u201d Havertz added, \u201cbut it’s time to move forward, it’s time to be positive, and it’s time to all stick together as a group – as players, staff, fans, we’re all in this together and we still can make something happen this year. It can be something very special, that’s what we’re going to go for, and now it’s time to win games.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Copyright 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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