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Preview: The top two go head-to-head as Arsenal host Bayern

Preview: The top two go head-to-head as Arsenal host Bayern

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Once upon a time this fixture seemed to happen with regularity in the Champions League – and Arsenal would inevitably leave each time with their tails between their legs. This time around it all looks rather different for the Gunners as Bayern Munich come to town as the competition’s top two teams so far.

By Karl Matchett

Domestic dominance and title talk

One measure of just how well Arsenal are set for the season ahead is to compare their domestic efforts to those of their midweek rivals. Bayern Munich have, for most of the last quarter of a century, been the utterly dominant side in German football. This campaign looks no different, well out in front as they already are, with a gap of six points back to second place RB Leipzig and zero defeats in their tally of games.

Arsenal might have a sole loss to their name – at reigning champions Liverpool, just before their implosion began – but other than that they have been consistent and impressive…and also have a six-point lead in the Premier League, back to Chelsea. They’ve even managed that after a game more than Bayern have played in the Bundesliga.

There have been 14 meetings between the Gunners and the Bavarian giants since 2000 in the Champions League, with the north London side winning only three of those encounters, the last over a decade ago. Since then Bayern have won 5-1 three times, while a draw between the sides in April 2024 was no real respite for the English side, since they lost the second leg and exited at the quarter-final stage accordingly.

While there’s no such stakes at play this time around, there certainly is every reason to think Arsenal are the better, more confident and more well-rounded team right now and that they might celebrate a long-overdue win against one of Europe’s top names.

Recent form

Arsenal have 13 wins and two draws since their only loss of the campaign – it’s about as consistent as you can get. Bayern won a massive 16 in a row before their first draw, then won again at the weekend. Relentless. In Europe, both teams are four wins from four so far and sit in the top two spots accordingly.

Team news

Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz are both likely still out and Martin Ødegaard needs a check before he returns. Gabriel is also out for several weeks in defence.

For Bayern, Luis Díaz is out suspended and both Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies are long-term absentees.

Key player

If anybody is to upset the home side it’s almost certainly written in the stars that it will be an old enemy in former Spurs striker Harry Kane. He has 14 goals in ten league starts and five in four in Europe. It ranks him higher than 95% of European strikers for shots over the past year…and 100% for goals.

Harry Kane’s unreal season

Prediction

A home win. Bayern are already in a decent spot so it won’t impact on going through, but it will send a message from the Emirates: Arsenal 2-1 Bayern.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Preview: The top two go head-to-head as Arsenal host Bayern

Once upon a time this fixture seemed to happen with regularity in the Champions League – and Arsenal would inevitably leave each time with their tails between their legs. This time around it all looks rather different for the Gunners as Bayern Munich come to town as the competition’s top two teams so far.

By Karl Matchett

Domestic dominance and title talk

One measure of just how well Arsenal are set for the season ahead is to compare their domestic efforts to those of their midweek rivals. Bayern Munich have, for most of the last quarter of a century, been the utterly dominant side in German football. This campaign looks no different, well out in front as they already are, with a gap of six points back to second place RB Leipzig and zero defeats in their tally of games.

Arsenal might have a sole loss to their name – at reigning champions Liverpool, just before their implosion began – but other than that they have been consistent and impressive…and also have a six-point lead in the Premier League, back to Chelsea. They’ve even managed that after a game more than Bayern have played in the Bundesliga.

There have been 14 meetings between the Gunners and the Bavarian giants since 2000 in the Champions League, with the north London side winning only three of those encounters, the last over a decade ago. Since then Bayern have won 5-1 three times, while a draw between the sides in April 2024 was no real respite for the English side, since they lost the second leg and exited at the quarter-final stage accordingly.

While there’s no such stakes at play this time around, there certainly is every reason to think Arsenal are the better, more confident and more well-rounded team right now and that they might celebrate a long-overdue win against one of Europe’s top names.

Recent form

Arsenal have 13 wins and two draws since their only loss of the campaign – it’s about as consistent as you can get. Bayern won a massive 16 in a row before their first draw, then won again at the weekend. Relentless. In Europe, both teams are four wins from four so far and sit in the top two spots accordingly.

Team news

Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz are both likely still out and Martin Ødegaard needs a check before he returns. Gabriel is also out for several weeks in defence.

For Bayern, Luis Díaz is out suspended and both Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies are long-term absentees.

Key player

If anybody is to upset the home side it’s almost certainly written in the stars that it will be an old enemy in former Spurs striker Harry Kane. He has 14 goals in ten league starts and five in four in Europe. It ranks him higher than 95% of European strikers for shots over the past year…and 100% for goals.

Harry Kane’s unreal season

Prediction

A home win. Bayern are already in a decent spot so it won’t impact on going through, but it will send a message from the Emirates: Arsenal 2-1 Bayern.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.