It is anybody’s recreation in Bavaria on Wednesday as Bayern Munich welcome Arsenal to the Allianz Area for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
Some inside Bayern quarters feared the worst when Thomas Tuchel’s aspect rocked as much as the Emirates Stadium final week, however the cautious guests impressed and compelled the Gunners to play from behind within the second half after Bukayo Saka had given the hosts an early lead.
Bayern will take a 2-2 draw into the return fixture and face an Arsenal aspect that suffered its first Premier League defeat of 2024 on the weekend. Mikel Arteta’s title challengers have been overwhelmed 2-0 at residence by Aston Villa on Sunday.
The German giants, in the meantime, have been victorious as they beat FC Koln, however Bayer Leverkusen’s subsequent victory meant Bayern lastly surrendered their Bundesliga crown. Their eggs have lengthy been positioned within the Champions League basket.
Arsenal are chasing a historic outcome on Wednesday – they’ve solely ever received as soon as on the Allianz – as they try to progress into the semi-finals of this competitors for the primary time since 2009.
This is 90min’s preview of this quarter-final second leg.
Bayern Munich vs Arsenal H2H file (Final 5 Video games)
Present kind (all competitions)
Bayern Munich
Arsenal
Bayern Munich 2-0 FC Koln – 13/04/24
Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa – 14/04/24
Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich – 09/04/24
Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich – 09/04/24
Heidenheim 3-2 Bayern Munich – 06/04/24
Brighton 0-3 Arsenal – 06/04/24
Bayern Munich 0-2 Borussia Dortmund – 30/03/24
Arsenal 2-0 Luton City – 03/04/24
Darmstadt 2-5 Bayern Munich – 16/03/24
Man Metropolis 0-0 Arsenal – 31/03/24
Nation
TV channel/dwell stream
United Kingdom
discovery+, TNT Sports activities 2, discovery+ App
United States
Paramount+
Canada
DAZN
The hosts shall be with out the suspended Alphonso Davies, who picked up his third yellow card of the Champions League marketing campaign in north London. The Canadian will probably get replaced by Raphael Guerreiro in Tuchel’s crew.
Bayern are additionally with out wingers Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman on account of hamstring accidents, however Leroy Sane is predicted to be match regardless of lacking Saturday’s win over FC Koln.
Harry Kane will lead the road as soon as extra with Thomas Muller set to maintain his place within the aspect.
Bayern predicted lineup vs Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Guerreiro; Laimer, Goretzka; Sane, Muller, Musiala; Kane.
Arsenal stay wholesome on the damage entrance, though there’s a slight concern concerning the standing of Martin Odegaard after he was compelled off in opposition to Villa with an unspecified difficulty.
Nonetheless, it would be a serious shock to see the Arsenal skipper miss Wednesday’s recreation, notably as he returned to coaching on Tuesday forward of the flight to Bavaria.
Jurrien Timber ought to be the Gunners’ solely absentee, with Gabriel Martinelli, Jorginho, and Takehiro Tomiyasu doubtlessly coming into Arteta’s crew.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Bayern (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
The onus shall be on Bayern Munich to return out and play on Wednesday given that they are on residence soil, however this dynamic may swimsuit Arsenal with Mikel Arteta prone to be content material with containing the hosts and exploiting them in transition.
Gabriel Martinelli has an enormous function to play on Wednesday, however the Brazilian has been in poor kind since recovering from a foot difficulty. He was the lacking hyperlink when Arsenal shut out Manchester Metropolis on the finish of March.
Thus, the Gunners ought to have pleasure in Munich with the 2 sides set to play out a good recreation. Nonetheless, the way in which Arsenal pale within the second half on Sunday is a notable concern heading into the second leg and it begs the query whether or not they can maintain off a Bayern that hardly ever fail to win on residence soil on this competitors.