kai havertz says he has come back from the “worst pain” of his career after hamstring and knee surgeries, and he is pushing to play in Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 trip to Bayer Leverkusen this Wednesday at the BayArena; the forward told staff and team officials he is ready to help the squad after a long spell on the sidelines.
Key developments and match context
The 26-year-old forward returned to action with a 62-minute start in a win over Mansfield — his fourth start of the season — following substitute cameos against Chelsea and Brighton. He missed large stretches after tearing a hamstring in February last year, underwent two surgeries (one on his hamstring and one on his knee) and endured a series of setbacks before working back toward full fitness.
Before the hamstring tear he was on track for what he described as his highest-scoring season; since that injury he has played a total of 395 minutes in all competitions and has not completed 90 minutes in any game this season. Now targeting his second European appearance of the campaign, he faces his former club for the first time since leaving them six years ago.
Kai Havertz on trusting his body
Havertz addressed the mental and physical toll of repeated injuries at a pre-match press conference. “I think we all know this season was not what I expected it to be, but I always think that things happen for a reason, and now I’m back and I feel good, and I’m happy to help the team again, ” he said, describing a stop-start return to consistent minutes.
He was candid about the rare pain the injuries brought: “For me it was just tough, because I never felt that pain before in my life and it just came randomly, but I tried to go through these things. ” Havertz said family support and help from the club and team-mates lifted his spirits during recovery and gave him renewed hunger for matches.
Immediate reactions from the dressing room
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, framed the setbacks as part of a long career and praised Havertz’s character: “When you talk about a 15 or 20-year career, you’re going to have to go through these moments. If there is a person that has the right combination of humbleness, patience, love for the game and competitive edge, that’s certainly Kai. ” Arteta noted the player’s previous clean injury record had made the recent spell “something new for him. “
Havertz emphasised that rebuilding rhythm is ongoing: “It has been stop-start, but sometimes football is like this. I haven’t really faced a challenge like this before in my career, so I just tried to give everything to be back as soon as I could, and now I’m just happy to be back and be here and help the team. “
What’s next and what to watch
Arsenal will assess fitness and minutes for the Champions League last-16 first leg at Bayer Leverkusen, where Havertz could face his former club for the first time in years. The forward says he feels “100% ready to play games” and is looking to add stability to his season; staff will monitor his load carefully as he builds toward longer appearances.
As the tie approaches, attention will fall on whether the recent rhythm — substitute appearances followed by a 62-minute start — translates into sustained playing time and whether kai havertz can convert his renewed hunger into consistent minutes and contributions across domestic and European fixtures.
