FC Bayern were shown their limits for the first time in this Champions League seasonin the 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium. The Premier League leaders were too dominant, too variable and too precise, especially in the second half. Sporting director Max Eberl took plenty of time in the mixed zone to assess the defeat – and had honest but constructive words to say about an evening that clearly showed Bayern the way forward
Eberl did not seem surprised by the result. In his eyes, Munich got off to a decent start and needed a short time to find their way into the game – but then the two teams met as equals. „After the first five minutes, I thought it was a game of equals,“ explained the 52-year-old. The break came immediately after the break, when Arsenal increased the pressure massively and Bayern rarely won the decisive duels. „They built up pressure at the start of the second half and then they deserved to win.“
Bayern’s problem: FCB lost pace, sharpness and precision in this phase. Hardly noticeable, but noticeable enough for a team like Arsenal. „If you’re three or four per cent down, then you’re going to lose games,“ said Eberl
Arsenal’s standards: „Chaos that you can’t defend“
One focus of his analysis: Arsenal’s exceptional strength with resting balls. Under Mikel Arteta, they have been European leaders in this area for years – and this was also a decisive factor against Bayern. Eberl spoke of a kind of „organized chaos“ that was almost impossible to control
„Because it’s simply impossible to defend against. They create chaos and you can’t defend against chaos,“ he said. Arsenal combine blocks, crossing movements and perfectly coordinated runs – and with precise shooters like Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, they create a weapon that almost no team can stop
The fact that Manuel Neuer was blocked in the five-meter area at 0:1 fitted the pattern: „He is blocked and obstructed before the ball is played.“
Bayern lost their grip in the second half. Arsenal repeatedly found ways to pick up the pace, dominated the duels and exploited Bayern’s lack of compactness. Nevertheless, Eberl also saw positives: „Lennart Karl’s goal was brilliantly played.“ The 17-year-old brings „a carefree attitude that is good for us“, said Eberl
The third goal conceded, on the other hand, showed the quality of the Gunners: a switching moment, a perfect decision by Gabriel Martinelli – and Bayern’s defense, which was only centimeters and fractions of a second too late. „I hoped Martinelli wouldn’t see it coming, but he smelled it,“ commented Eberl
Not a setback – but a lesson
Eberl does not want to be arrogant. „We never said we were the best team in Europe,“ he emphasised. The decisive factor was not the feeling, but the daily work. And he places the defeat in a larger context: „This is a path that Arsenal have been on for seven years – and we have been on for 16, 17 months.“
For him, defeats are part of the process. The important thing is to learn and move on. He therefore immediately looks ahead: „Now it’s time to concentrate on St. Pauli.“