Arsenal advances to Champions League quarter-finals: Who can stop the Gunners' dream of winning four titles?

Not many people thought this season would be the perfect time for Arsenal to pursue trophies. However, the 2-0 victory over Leverkusen in the Champions League quarter-finals could ignite the dream of a quadruple for Mikel Arteta and his team.

While two other English giants, Chelsea and Manchester City, failed to reverse their fortunes after losing by three goals in the first leg, Arsenal could become the sole hope for the Premier League in this season's Champions League.

Eze's Spring Revival

It is no coincidence that Arsenal's chances of winning trophies have brightened precisely in March. This comes from the incredible brilliant form of Eberechi Eze. He always chooses the final three months of the season to prove why Arsenal agreed to pay £67.5 million for his transfer from Crystal Palace last summer.

The story of Eze's spring revival began in 2023. In 46 appearances from March to May over the last four seasons, this 27-year-old forward has scored a total of 23 goals (averaging 0.5 goals per match). This is a stark contrast to his scoring form from August to February the following year. During that six-month period, Eze scored only 21 goals in 111 appearances (averaging 0.19 goals per match). In other words, the former Crystal Palace forward is a vivid illustration of the topic of a player's scoring efficiency depending on the seasonal weather conditions within a year. This story of Eze can be explained by the factor of end-season pressures driving him to shine at decisive moments. Crystal Palace fans strongly agree with this assessment, witnessing Eze score in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals of the FA Cup last season. Those goals by Eze helped Crystal Palace win the FA Cup for the first time in history last May. It was precisely Eze's explosive form at the end of the season that convinced Arteta he needed to add him to Arsenal's attacking lineup this season.

Viewed from this perspective, the beautiful goal scored against Leverkusen last Tuesday night will be good news for Arteta's Arsenal in the race for trophies this season. It is Eze's fourth goal in his last seven appearances for Arsenal. Arteta desperately needs Eze to maintain this "spring revival" state in his first season playing at Emirates. Declan Rice couldn't hide his surprise at how Eze is ready to shoot from distance with power and precision from his right foot: "I don't see many players who can shoot like Eze. We need him to shine like this many more times." Eze's impressive performance against Leverkusen will provide a great opportunity for him to secure a starting spot in the League Cup final against Manchester City. Arteta cannot overlook an Eze who is in top form for the ambition of winning his first trophy this season at Wembley.

Is this Arsenal's greatest season?

The victory over Leverkusen not only purely opens up the opportunity for Arsenal to advance deeper in the Champions League, as their bracket is considered very favorable. It will be an excellent psychological springboard for Arteta and his team aiming for a quadruple of trophies. The first trophy opportunity of this season will arrive this Sunday in the League Cup. Arsenal is firmly building their lead at the top of the Premier League, being 9 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City despite playing one more match. The prospects in the FA Cup for Arteta and his team cannot be overlooked, as they only face Southampton in the quarter-finals.

The quadruple is a goal no Premier League team has successfully conquered. The intense competition of English football does not provide favorable conditions for Premier League teams to think about this feat. But Arteta's Arsenal needs to understand clearly that every match from now until the end of the season will be an opportunity for them to unlock trophies. The fortunate thing for them is that in every match, whether Arsenal wins beautifully or ugly, there are individuals who seize the key to open goals, to open victories. Last weekend, the entire Emirates stadium couldn't help but be amazed witnessing the 16-year-old talent Max Dowman score the goal that secured the 2-0 victory over Everton. In the recent second leg against Leverkusen, Eze and then Rice scored successively to help Arsenal maintain their journey in the Champions League. These goals broke Leverkusen's plan to prolong keeping a clean sheet before thinking about scenarios to punish Arteta and his team.

Conquering the quadruple is not an easy task for Arsenal. But Arteta and his team possess the treasure Eze to gradually realize this incredible goal.