Arsenal thrash Bayer Leverkusen as Xhaka makes Emirates return

Arsenal cruised to a 4-1 win over Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday as they ramped up their preparations for the new season.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all found the net in the first half for Mikel Arteta's side. Kai Havertz then added a fourth after half-time in a preseason friendly that saw former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka make his return to the club.

Xhaka, who spent seven seasons at Arsenal before departing for Leverkusen last summer, was greeted with a "welcome back" message on the big screen ahead of kickoff. 

Arsenal went in front after less than eight minutes. At the end of a fine team move, Havertz cut the ball back to the edge of the area where Zinchenko dispatched a first-time left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the net.

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There was more to admire about Arsenal's play that led to the hosts doubling their lead just a minute later. After Arsenal won the ball back deep in Leverkusen's half, Martin Ødegaard, Jesus and Havertz were all involved in a series of quick passes before Trossard coolly took a touch beyond a defender and finished low from the centre of the box.

Jesus, starting as the No. 9, made it 3-0 seven minutes before half-time, dribbling past a defender and then squeezing a shot past the dive of Leverkusen goalkeeper Matej Kovar from 20 yards out.

Jesus was withdrawn at half-time but earned praise from his manager.

"I said from day one, the first feeling when I saw him after talking to him at the end of the season is that he was something different," Arteta said of Jesus in his post-match news conference. "I could sense it. His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he's moving is different. He really wants it.

"Now it's about finding that consistency and doing it in any context, against any opponent, against any formation, any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes. If you are produce in those circumstances? It looks good."

Arteta made four changes at half-time with England internationals Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice among those to enter the action. It didn't take long for Saka to make his mark, delivering a low cross that was cleared right into the path of Havertz to finish from close range in the 65th minute.

Leverkusen substitute Adam Hlozek pulled a goal back in the 76th minute but it was little more than a consolation.

"We can take a lot of positives from the game as well as the result," Arteta said. "The way we performed, there were lots of positive aspects, collectively and individually. 

"A lot of things to learn from it as well. I think we can improve, especially in the second half when we made seven changes. But again, a really good test, a really good team who are really well coached and it was a good performance."

While there was no involvement for Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori following his transfer from Bologna last week, Arteta said he hopes to hand him some minutes when  Arsenal complete their preparations for the new season with another home friendly, against Lyon on Sunday.

Their Premier League campaign kick off at home to Wolves on Aug. 17.

Leverkusen, who completed an unbeaten domestic season in 2023-24, will compete for their first silverware of the new campaign in 10 days' time against VfB Stuttgart in the DFL-Supercup.