Havertz Eager to Make Up for Lost Time Against Familiar Foe
Kai Havertz has revealed that the knee injury which sidelined him for the first half of the season was the most painful experience of his life, but it has ignited a fresh hunger to secure trophies with Arsenal. The German forward, who missed over twenty matches following surgery after an opening-day injury against Manchester United, is now poised to face his former club Bayer Leverkusen for the first time since his departure in 2020.
Forward Describes Injury as 'Most Painful' of His Career
Havertz described the ordeal as mentally and physically challenging, stating, "For me it was just tough because I never felt that pain before in my life and it just came randomly." He emphasized that while two surgeries were difficult, he has maintained a professional outlook, acknowledging that such setbacks are part of football. At 26, Havertz remains optimistic about his future, saying, "I'm still young so a lot of years hopefully in front of me, but obviously mentally it was tough."
His return has been carefully managed by manager Mikel Arteta in recent weeks, and Havertz now feels fully fit and ready to contribute. "I'm confident, I'm feeling good, I'm feeling better, obviously things can always happen, but I'm feeling 100% ready to play games, I'm feeling fit and I can't wait to help the team in the next couple of months," he added.
New Hunger Fueled by Frustration
Being sidelined for an extended period has only intensified Havertz's desire to succeed. He admitted, "100%, I think. That feeling that you have after games, being with the boys in the training room, I miss it so much. That's why also it was mentally so hard for me because they wouldn't be there and I think it just gave me new hunger." This renewed drive comes at a crucial time as Arsenal battle on four fronts, including the Champions League.
Expected Start Against Former Club
With captain Martin Ødegaard unavailable for the first leg, Havertz is expected to start behind striker Viktor Gyökeres in attack. Havertz, who scored the winning goal for Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League final before joining Arsenal in 2023, praised Gyökeres's adaptation to the team despite early criticism. "You always need some time to adapt, but I felt even though people who saw him were very critical in the first couple of months, I never saw it because he's a player who helps the team in so many different aspects," he noted.
Historic Clash and Quadruple Ambitions
Arsenal will face Leverkusen for the first time since the 2001-02 Champions League, when the German side reached the final. Currently, Arteta's team is 19 games away from an unprecedented quadruple, but the manager remains focused on the immediate challenge. "No, I don't use that phrase, don't talk about it," Arteta stated. "I don't know what they talk about when I'm not there. We all know the difficulty of every competition. It starts tomorrow. We are changing from competition to competition every three days. So far, we've done so well, and we need to continue to do that."
Arteta highlighted the team's growth, noting that they have gained valuable experience in the Champions League since his arrival. "They certainly have more experience in the competition," he said. "When I joined in, they had never played in this competition. That's obviously something that is necessary, like in any other competition. They understand it better. Now we have to perform." Arsenal reached the semi-finals last year, and this match offers another opportunity to demonstrate their progress on the European stage.
