We anticipate Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich, offering our prediction and preview. Will the Gunners be able to overcome the memories of their significant 5-1 losses to the Bavarian powerhouse?
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Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: Match Preview
Arsenal clinched their first Champions League knockout victory since 2010 last month, overcoming Porto in a penalty shootout to advance to the quarter-finals. Mikel Arteta’s side is now eyeing a triumph over Bayern Munich, aiming to erase past disappointments against the German giants.
In recent encounters, Arsenal suffered three consecutive 5-1 defeats to Bayern in the Champions League, including a humbling 10-2 aggregate loss in the 2016-17 season. Despite these setbacks, Arsenal’s current form suggests a more resilient team. They secured a convincing 3-0 win against Brighton, propelling them to the top of the Premier League table. Bukayo Saka’s standout performance has been instrumental, with the young talent notching impressive stats both domestically and in Europe.
Arsenal’s defensive prowess is evident in their Champions League campaign, with their high-pressure approach limiting opponents’ passing opportunities. Kai Havertz has been pivotal in leading this defensive charge, contributing significantly to Arsenal’s success in applying pressure on opponents.
Arsenal’s lineup is bolstered by the return of key players like Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, and Takehiro Tomiyasu, with Jurriën Timber the only absentee due to injury.
Despite Bayern’s recent struggles, they remain a formidable opponent. A shocking defeat to Heidenheim compounded their Bundesliga woes, but they are determined to salvage their season in the Champions League. Former Tottenham striker Harry Kane poses a significant threat to Arsenal, having netted five goals at the Emirates Stadium in previous encounters.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel faces selection dilemmas ahead of the match, with several key players facing fitness assessments. However, the return of Raphaël Guerreiro provides a boost to their lineup.
As both teams brace for a crucial showdown, Arsenal seeks to maintain their momentum, while Bayern aims to reignite their Champions League campaign and silence doubters amidst their domestic struggles.
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: Head-to-head
In their upcoming clash, Arsenal and Bayern Munich will renew their rivalry in the Champions League knockout stages for the fifth time. Bayern has emerged victorious in all four previous encounters, eliminating Arsenal at the last-16 stage in 2004-05, 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2016-17.
Bayern’s track record against English teams in away fixtures is impressive, having lost just one of their last six Champions League matches (four wins, one draw). Notably, they suffered a defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the same stage last season.
During this period, Bayern has showcased dominance in London, securing victories against Arsenal, Tottenham, and Chelsea with an impressive aggregate score of 15-3. Their last visit to the Emirates Stadium in March 2017 resulted in Arsenal’s heaviest defeat at the venue in any competition.
Despite Arsenal leading 1-0 early in the second half, a red card for Laurent Koscielny shifted the momentum, allowing Bayern to secure a commanding victory with goals from Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, Douglas Costa, and Arturo Vidal (twice).
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: Recent Form
Arsenal has been on an impressive run of form, remaining undefeated in their last seven matches across all competitions since their initial defeat to Porto in the first leg of the previous round. During this stretch, they have secured six victories and played to a goalless draw against Manchester City.
Their recent 1-0 triumph over Porto in the second leg halted a streak of five consecutive home defeats in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The last instance where they won more than one home knockout game in a single campaign dates back to the 2008-09 season, where they defeated Roma and Villarreal en route to the semi-finals, eventually bowing out to Manchester United.
Although Arsenal has only won two of their previous seven European Cup/Champions League quarter-final ties, this marks their first appearance in the quarter-finals since the 2009-10 season, where they succumbed to a 6-3 aggregate defeat against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
On the other hand, Bayern Munich has faced disappointment in the quarter-finals, suffering three consecutive exits since their last European triumph in the 2019-20 season. Tuchel’s side is currently grappling with a dip in form, having suffered consecutive losses, including a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund prior to their recent collapse.
There is a looming possibility of Bayern enduring three consecutive defeats for the second time in less than two months, having previously faced such a scenario in February, which included a 1-0 loss to Lazio in the Champions League.
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: Team News and Predicted Line-up
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal is set to welcome back Bukayo Saka, who has recovered from a muscle injury and featured prominently in the win against Brighton, even scoring a goal. Although Gabriel Magalhaes and Jorginho required treatment during the match, both players emerged unscathed.
Mikel Arteta faces decisions regarding the left-back position, with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu vying for the spot. Additionally, there’s competition in attack, where Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are contending for a starting role.
Arsenal Predicted Starting XIs:
- Goalkeeper: David Raya
- Defenders: Ben White (RB), Saliba (CB), Gabriel (CB), Takehiro Tomiyasu (LB)
- Midfielders: Declan Rice (CDM), Jorginho (CM), Martin Odegaard (AMF)
- Forwards/Wingers: Bukayo Saka (RW), Gabriel Martinelli (LW)
- Striker: Kai Havertz (ST)
Bayern Munich Team News
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich may have to contend with numerous absences for their London trip. Sacha Boey (hamstring), Bouna Sarr (knee), and Tarek Buchmann (muscle) have already been ruled out due to injury concerns.
All five of Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Noussair Mazraoui, and Aleksandar Pavlovic participated in training on Monday after initially being labeled as injury doubts. Sane has subsequently confirmed his fitness to feature in at least some capacity in the upcoming match.
Bayern Munich Predicted Starting XIs:
- Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer
- Defenders: Joshua Kimmich (RB), Eric Dier (CB), Matthijs de Ligt (CB), Alphonso Davies (LB)
- Midfielders: Konrad Laimer (CM), Leon Goretzka (CDM), Thomas Muller (AMF)
- Forwards/Wingers: Leroy Sane (RW), Jamal Musiala (LW)
- Striker: Harry Kane (ST)
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: Match Prediction
This might seem like a easy tie for Arsenal with Arsenal’s form going around but we have seen in the past how UCL pedigree matters as Arsenal only have three players who’s played in the UCL before- Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko and Jorginho.
So it’s not that easy to split these two sides for the first leg, but we’ll still go with with Arsenal winning because of the home advantage and current form, while Bayern lose. The draw is also a favorable outcome as two Champions League favorites go head-to-head for the second meeting of a quarter-final.
Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: UCL Squads For The Quarter-finals
Arsenal UEFA Champions League Squad
- Goalkeepers: Aaron Ramsdale, David Raya, Karl Hein
- Defenders: William Saliba, Ben White, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, Cédric Soares, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko
- Midfielders: Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho, Fábio Vieira, Mohamed Elneny, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Bukayo Saka
- Forwards: Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson
Head coach: Mikel Arteta
Bayern Munich UEFA Champions League Squad
- Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Daniel Peretz, Sven Ulreich
- Defenders: Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae, Matthijs de Ligt, Eric Dier, Bouna Sarr, Raphaël Guerreiro, Alphonso Davies, Noussair Mazraoui
- Midfielders: Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sané, Konrad Laimer, Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Bryan Zaragoza
- Forwards: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Harry Kane, Mathys Tel
Head Coach: Thomas Tuchel
When and Where to Watch the Match LIVE in India?
The UEFA Champions League 2023-24 match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich will be broadcast live in India on Sony Sports Network. The match is scheduled to Wednesday, 10 April 2024 at 12:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Viewers in India can watch the match live from Emirates Stadium. Additionally, for those who prefer online streaming, the match will be available for live streaming on the SonyLIV App.
