Arsenal have endured a difficult few weeks but Eberechi Eze insists they will have no fear when they face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Wednesday night
Ebelesi Eze says Arsenal will not play with fear or nerves against Sporting Lisbon (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC)
Eberechi Eze grew up watching the Champions League and is now ready to realize his boyhood dream.
Eze spoke with great passion about playing on European football’s biggest stage and his belief that Arsenal can win major trophies this season. It’s been a rocky road for Arsenal since losing the Carabao Cup final, being eliminated in the FA Cup and then slipping away against Bournemouth in the title race.
However, Arsenal maintain a one-goal lead over Sporting Lisbon heading into the second leg of the quarter-finals, and Eze insisted Arsenal are not playing with fear or nerves.
The Gunners star said: “We all know the position we’re in and the opportunities we have, we all know what’s at stake, we have a lot of confidence and belief in the group and the team and it’s special to be here.”
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“The focus is on the opportunity that is given to us and seizing it with both hands. It’s certainly a moment that you want to play as a footballer.
“You go into high-stakes games and all the competitions and you want to win as much as you can. It’s a great time. I’m very excited and I think the players are too. And we’re going to give it our all, for sure.”
Eze, 27, joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of nine, just after Arsenal reached the Champions League final in 2006, but he still remembers Thierry Henry and his generation and how they played with conviction.
That, along with childhood memories of watching European football filled with stylish and skilled stars, is what drives him today. Fast forward a few years and he is number 10 in an Arsenal team aiming to reach back-to-back Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history.
Eze returned to fitness ahead of the run-in (Image: Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Eze said: “I think there was a certain amount of confidence in the team, not arrogance. There was belief. Soccer for me is about being on the pitch and believing that I’m that kind of guy.”
“You’re part of that team. To me, that’s the mentality. They had that. That’s what we have too, and it’s special to be a part of that. I think dreams are made of something, for sure.”
“Certainly the Champions League is something special, growing up watching the Champions League on TV and dreaming of playing in this competition and making it my goal from an early age is a very special event and I don’t take that lightly.
“To be in a position to be able to compete and actually have the opportunity is the most special thing and I thank God for that.”
Arsenal will be looking to bounce back after a shock loss to Bournemouth at the weekend (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Eze has been preparing for the main match after recovering from a calf injury, but his determination to return to the pitch will require mental strength. Having suffered a major Achilles injury early in his career, he knows what it takes.
“I believe the confidence comes from my last injury, the way I worked there and the faith that was instilled in me. Also, by letting go of the fear of getting hurt, having that feeling and knowing that God is with me and that will get me in a good place,” Eze said.
His beliefs are clear, and he has a cheerful personality, intelligence, and a desire to improve. Of course, he was rejected by Arsenal at the age of 13 and had to fight back. This time, he admitted that it took him time to adjust and learn Mikel Arteta’s methods.
Most impressively, after a very impressive performance, including a hat-trick against Tottenham and an outstanding performance against Bayern Munich, he was dropped after the defeat against Aston Villa due to a failure to track players.
Eze added: “It’s part of the journey of playing for Arsenal and it’s a certain responsibility that you have. Even if you’re probably not doing it to the best of your ability, there’s another player who is potentially going to do it better.”
“That’s the level we’re playing at, the level of competition within the team. It was understandable that I wasn’t going to play, and it’s understandable given the level of football that we’re playing here.”
“Again, this is part of the journey and part of what it takes to win. That’s definitely the type of team we want to play.”
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