Arsenal must be wary: Bayern have the perfect tool for the toughest task | OneFootball

There’s no bigger top match than today’s duel between FC Bayern and Arsenal in the Champions League. The two most in-form teams in Europe face off at London’s Emirates Stadium. The Bundesliga leaders are visiting the Premier League leaders.

Both heavyweights of club football are also at the top of the Champions League group, without having dropped a single point. You can watch this special treat live on DAZN. Kick-off is at 9 PM. 

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Arsenal is currently the toughest opponent in the Champions League. The Gunners haven’t conceded a single goal in their four matches so far, and at home, they have won all of their last 15 group or league phase Champions League games. The last twelve of those even without conceding a goal.

On Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s team gave Tottenham Hotspur a thrashing in the North London Derby, despite several key players like defensive leader Gabriel or captain Martin Ødegaard being unavailable. 

Bayern, on the other hand, arrives with immense attacking pressure: 14 goals in the Champions League and a high tempo in transition situations. Before the international break, the Munich side celebrated a prestigious victory at Paris’s Parc des Princes against reigning champions PSG, capping off a historic season start with a new record. The Munich team fired off 16 consecutive wins in the first third of the season. 

How can Bayern be cracked?

When two top teams meet, it’s often the details that make the difference. In recent games against Freiburg and previously against Union Berlin, Bayern essentially gave Arsenal a blueprint for how to be especially dangerous to the German record champions. Fittingly, this concerns a part of the game where the Gunners are among the very best in Europe—set pieces. Bayern conceded their last four goals from corners. Arsenal has already scored ten goals from corners this season alone. 

Coach Vincent Kompany also admitted through gritted teeth to 'Bild' that his team has a problem there that needs to be solved as quickly as possible. But he also knows what it takes: "You can’t hide. You have to show personality, character, and defend the situation away."

Bayern’s match plan could, as against Paris Saint-Germain, involve offensive pressing. Up until the red card for Luis Díaz, the Munich side defended man-to-man across the entire pitch. Against teams that are good on the ball, this is an approach Kompany would not be using for the first time. In any case, Bayern have certainly built up enough self-confidence lately. 

"The anticipation for the game at Arsenal is huge, it’s something special. We’re going into it with full confidence and want to get the three points. It will be a very attractive match," Jonathan Tah explained after the Freiburg game. 

Bayern’s trump card in London

In Harry Kane, Bayern also have the perfect trump card when it comes to facing Arsenal. Or rather, the perfect drill for the toughest opponent. England’s captain emphasized: "They make it tough for their opponents. But we have to analyze them and find out where we can hurt them."

He knows better than anyone what will matter in London. In 21 competitive matches against the Gunners, he’s scored 15 times. Six of those goals came in ten away games at the Emirates Stadium, making him the most prolific visiting scorer in the history of the arena.

For Kane personally, returning to North London means more than just another Champions League game: "The Emirates Stadium is, of course, very familiar ground for me," said the 32-year-old. "After so many years at Tottenham, the game is a bit more meaningful. But in the end, it’s just another game, an important one for us. I try not to let emotions guide me too much."

Not an easy task, because even the circumstances of the match promise a highly emotional duel, with the next statement win on the line. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 KARL-JOSEF HILDENBRAND - AFP or licensors