Arsenal heads to Munich on the back of three straight wins and an impressive run in the Champions League. Bayern faces an opponent with a wide array of weapons.
On Wednesday, FC Bayern faces its toughest test of the season so far. With Arsenal coming to the Allianz Arena, Bayern is not only facing the reigning English champions and last year’s Champions League finalists, but also a team that is in top form just in time for the matchup.
The Gunners have won their last three competitive matches. A 2-1 victory over Leeds United was followed by a 3-0 win in the Champions League against Lille and a hard-fought 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. In the Champions League, Arsenal has six points after two matchdays and has yet to concede a goal.
Their European run is particularly impressive: Arsenal has won its last 14 games in the group and knockout stages of the Champions League, keeping nine clean sheets in the process. Mikel Arteta’s team now combines control of the game with remarkable defensive stability.
In midfield, Declan Rice and Bruno Guimaraes provide structure, while Martin Ödegaard finds space between the lines. On the wings, the Londoners have several players—Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke—who can win one-on-one duels. Up front, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres offer different styles of play.
Arsenal can decide games from the bench
The depth of their talent was on full display in the 3-0 win over Lille. After a scoreless first half, Arsenal scored three goals in just over seven minutes. Arteta brought on Saka, Ödegaard, and Havertz, among others—and shortly thereafter, the game was decided. The high pressure applied after turnovers led directly to dangerous situations.
The narrow victory in Nottingham also underscores the team’s versatility. Arsenal dominated early on with plenty of possession but struggled to find an opening for a long time. It wasn’t until the 80th minute that substitute Madueke scored the decisive goal. In the closing stages, the Gunners defended their lead with several key blocks.
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For Bayern, the match against Arsenal’s pressing will be particularly decisive. The Londoners push their fullbacks far up the field, immediately press when the ball is lost, and quickly look to penetrate the penalty area after winning possession. Sloppy passes in build-up play—such as those the Munich side committed recently in Augsburg and Stavanger—could be punished much more severely this time.
Added to this is Arsenal’s strength on set pieces. With Rice as the taker and players strong in the air like Gabriel, Ezri Konsa, Havertz, and Gyökeres, Arteta has numerous options on corner kicks and free kicks.
Bayern Munich will also have to do without the suspended Michael Olise. His absence deprives the Munich offense of a key game-changer. This makes it all the more important to disrupt Arsenal’s build-up early and consistently capitalize on their own counterattacks.
Arsenal isn’t invincible. Nottingham had several big chances in the closing stages, and the Gunners also fell behind early against Leeds. But recent games show that this team can win in a variety of ways. That’s exactly what makes them so dangerous for Bayern.