Arsenal 2-2 PSV (9-3 on aggregate): Champions League report by Layth Yousif 

So, it is Real Madrid who await in the last eight of the Champions League.

The La Liga giants loom large, after it was honours even on a chilly Wednesday evening in North London, following PSV Eindhoven holding Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in this Round of 16 second leg tie, losing the tie 9-3 on aggregate.

Speaking after the match, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: “Now we want to make the next step, which is going to be really difficult, but we are very capable of playing.”

With the damage being done by a rampant Gunners side last week in Eindhoven, it was no surprise that the match had a feel of a pre-season friendly at times, albeit one in which Raheem Sterling finally showed his class, played out to incessant noise from the creditable away fans who made the trip from the Netherlands.

Alex Zinchenko put the home side ahead on six minutes, prior to Ivan Perisic levelling 12 minutes later. Declan Rice then headed home Sterling’s cross to make it 2-1 aided by the Chelsea loanee grabbing his second assist of the night - to make it 46th Champions League goal involvement (27 goals, 19 assists) - two more than Frank Lampard, with only David Beckham (52), Harry Kane (50) and Wayne Rooney (47).

Despite the Gunners dominating, Couhaib Driouech equalised to make it 2-2 with 20 minutes left, for the 12th and final goal of this strange two legged clash.

With both teams adapting to Arsenal’s astonishing 7-1 thrashing of PSV last week in Eindhoven, it was no surprise Mikel Arteta, and Peter Bosz, made wholesale changes for the second leg.

Arsenal made seven alterations to the side that drew 1-1 against Manchester United at the weekend, not least because were already looking towards a blockbuster trip to Madrid in the quarter-finals next month, and had no need to wear out an already threadbare attack still further, with the tie already won.

Meaning only David Raya, Gabriel, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino retained their places from Old Trafford on Sunday, with Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho and Kieran Tierney, all starting.

While Bosz made five changes to the side that started their 2-1 Eredivisie win over Heerenveen last Saturday. Not least because they need to focus on their league form, in a bid, if not to challenge table toppers Ajax who are eight points clear, more to ensure they finish in the top two to guarantee more Champions League action next season, and all the riches that come with it.

Zinchenko picked up the ball from Raheem Sterling and ran with it before cutting inside and firing an excellent effort past keeper Benitez to make it 1-0 on six minutes, for his first Champions League goal. Prompting the thought that Benitez must absolutely hate the sight of Arsenal at the moment.

Roared on by their loyal fans who made the trip despite being 7-1 down on aggregate, PSV equalised on 18 minutes. Bosz’s side sweeping forward with Guus Til feeding Perisic, who fired home to make it 1-1 (8-2 on aggregate).

Myles Lewis-Skelly saw his close-range effort nudge the wrong side of the post, after the 18-year-old broke through to fire under an onrushing Benitez just before the half hour mark.

Rice headed home for 2-1 after Sterling took on two men to get to the byline and set up a perfect cross for the £105m midfielder on 37 minutes - the wideman’s sterling efforts what many have been looking for since last August.

Sterling nearly grabbed a goal himself after a driving run through the heart of the PSV backline, only for Benitez to block the attacker’s lifted effort shortly before half time.

Buoyed on by their relentlessly vociferous fans, PSV forced Raya into an excellent save early in the second half from Isaac Babadi.

It was instructive to note that with a trip to Madrid looming in the next round, Arteta had the luxury of withdrawing Rice for Riccardo Calafiori moments after the England midfielder picked up a yellow card,

Substitute Calafiori’s nearly extended Arsenal’s lead, but his near post shot was blocked by Benitez, moments after coming on.

With 20 minutes remaining, unbowed, PSV swept forward and equalised through Couhaib Driouech, who scooped the ball elegantly over the onrushing Raya, after being played in by Babadi, to make it 2-2 (9-3 on aggregate) with 20 minutes remaining.

Next stop in this compelling tournament, the mighty Real Madrid. 

Have to say fair play to the travelling PSV fans for the racket they’re making here at Arsenal despite their team currently being 8-1 down on aggregate. Met so many sound PSV fans at the Eindhoven Carnival last week who made us feel so welcome you can’t but wish them well pic.twitter.com/V4lWJXoDVZ

— Layth (@laythy29) March 12, 2025