Champions League: Arsenal set for Bayern test

Arsenal will slug it out against Bayern in Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League as they bid to progress in the tournament they finished as runners-up last season.

The last meeting ended in a 1-0 victory for the Bundesliga champions, who eliminated the Gunners in the competition quarter-finals in 2024.

The Gunners took revenge by defeating Vincent Kompany’s men 3-1 last season.

Heading into this tie, both sides are on positive runs, having won their last games, with Bayern being more prolific in front of goal; they blitzed RB Leipzig at the weekend, running out 6-1 winners with goals coming from hat-trick hero Luis Diaz as well as Aleksandar Pavlovic, Harry Kane and Michael Olise.

Arsenal, with their impressive defensive record, will have to find a way to stop the Bavarians, who have scored 18 times in their first three home Bundesliga matches this term.

Bayern drew 3-3 with Viking last time in the UCL, a surprise result after thrashing Bodo Glimt 5-0 on MD1.

Arsenal, on the other hand, weren’t at their best at the weekend but managed a 1-0 away win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. 

Mikel Arteta’s men are three points adrift of Premier League leaders Man City, and have won two of their two UCL matches so far this term, 1-0 at Napoli and 3-0 at home to Lille.

They also go into the match on six clean sheets in their last eight Champions League matches.

However, if they replicate that Nottingham Forest performance, Bayern could trash the Premier League champions.

The Bavarians will bank on in-form Harry Kane, who has scored 15 times against Arsenal throughout his career and has netted in nine consecutive Champions League games for Bayern. 

Bayern will have to find a result without Michael Olise due to suspension, while Manuel Neuer missed the thrashing of Leipzig with a foot issue. William Saliba is Arsenal’s only remaining long-term absentee.

Kompany will have Jonas Urbig in goal after Manuel Neuer was sidelined with a foot fluid issue. 

Konrad Laimer, Jonathan Tah, Min-Jae Kim, and Nathaniel Brown are expected to anchor the defense, with Joshua Kimmich and Tom Bischof in midfield, while Luis Diaz and Lennart Karl will support Harry Kane. 

Arsenal will likely have David Raya in goal behind a back four of Jurrien Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel, and Ezri Konsa.

Arteta has several midfield options, as Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, and Bruno Guimaraes could partner skipper Martin Odegaard.

Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke could provide support to either Kai Havertz or Viktor Gyokeres up front.