Arsenal - Bayern Munich summary: score, goals & highlights | Champions League
Arsenal - Bayern: as it happened
Full-time thoughts:
A sensational game of football at the Emirates Stadium ended 2-2 after a late goal from Trossard cancelled out Bayern's comeback from Gnabry and Kane. Saka, who scored the opener, had a late penalty shout denied, but not before Coman hit the post with seconds to go.
The game, by the end, was swinging back and forth like a feisty dragon tail, but prior to the madness ensuing, it was Arsenal's for the taking.
They opened the scoring early on with Saka, who rifled a low, curling effort past Neuer and from then on, Arteta's side looked destined increase their advantage.
But it was Bayern who fought back the hardest. Gnabry and Kane slotted past Raya, the second from the spot, after two Arsenalmistakes at the back saw them lose their much-deserved lead.
The second half saw a more balanced game, but with the same amount of crazy. Both sides had chances to score, and cancelled each other out until Gabriel Jesus took advantage of an inch of space inside the box to dance the ball through to Trossard, whostuck the equaliser in past Neuer.
From then on, the game flew one way and the other, with Coman smashing the post from close range before Saka's penalty shout was rightly waved away by the referee.
The result in London means it's all to play for in Munich.
Thanks for joining!
That's all for now with the coverage of the game, but make sure to check back for all the latest news in this fascinating edition of the Champions League!
Joe
Ah, it appears we had some drama over in Madrid...
Will G has got all the goodness for you from the Spanish capital as Los Blancos and City hit it off and gave us another classic UCL game.
FULL-TIME!
A crazy game ends all square in North London!
A loose ball back allowed Saka to latch onto it and the replay shows that the forward did indeed hang his leg out and look just too much for the challenge.
HUGE PENALTY SHOUT. Saka went down under a challenge from Neuer but the referee waved his hands and said 'NO'!
Into the final 60 seconds. Arsenal are on the ball and want to sink Bayern hearts as they move forward.
The game has officially descended into chaos: long balls are being pumped forward for no reason and this game looks destined to end all square...
Both sides are losing simple balls as nerves are mixed with rushes of adrenaline and an excruciating desire to edge ahead in the tie.
5 added minutes.
Musiala found a yard on the left and sent a low ball across the face of Raya's goal.
Arsenal's defenders stood still but Coman could only direct his shot from close range at the upright!
COMAN OFF THE POST!!!
The simplest of yellows for Partey after he clatters a leg into Musiala, who was racing away on the counter.
The cross is floated in by Raphael and nobody meets it. Arsenal survive.
Saka gives away an incredibly dangerous free-kick after a clumsy challenge on Musiala, right on the edge of the box.
Arsenal change:
OFF: Havertz
ON: Partey
CHANCE. Saka finds an inch inside the box and fizzes a cross across the face of goal that needs a brave soul to throw themselves at... nobody moves quickly enough and the ball rolls out the other side.
A dangerous attack for the away side breaks down as Laimer takes too long on the ball on the edge of the box and doesn't notice that Ødegaard is sneaking up behind him to pinch the ball.
Bayern are asserting themselves here and have a second wind as Arsenal drop deeper and deeper...
CHANCE. Coman cuts inside before dragging a shot to the near post that Raya stops well.
We're into the final ten minutes of the game and Bayern have just stepped up and are inside Arsenal's half.
Back underway. The Arsenal fans are in full voice as the clock ticks on.
Gabriel Jesus takes the ball on the edge of the box before slipping past De Ligt, who he sends to the floor with a wonderful piece of skill.
The Brazilian slides the ball to his left where Trossard is waiting on the penalty spot to poke a shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.
TROSSARD
The away side are sitting on halfway as Arsenal - to the frustration of their fans - pass the ball round at the back in their own half.
We've got a stoppage in play as Dier is down. Bayern are in no rush to get things going again.
Gasps of fear as Zinchenko misses a long ball sent over his head towards Coman and the winger latches onto it and is away... the flag goes up.
Twenty to go...
Gnabry injured:
OFF: Gnabry
ON: Raphaël Guerreiro
Gnabry is down. Bayern are going to change things up.
CHANCE. Kane goes for glory from distance and the ball smacks Rice's back before spinning out for a corner to the away side.
Arsenal subs:
OFF: Martinelli, Jorginho
ON: Trossard, Jesus
Bayern change:
OFF: Sané
ON: Coman
CHANCE. Gnabry races away down the left but rather selfishly goes for goal from a tight angle, and sees his shot blazed over the bar.
Coman is readying himself to come on.
De Light comes racing across to clear the ball and take Martinelli with him in the process. Arsenal can't find the final ball...
This game is balanced like a china plate on the tip of Cruella de Vil's fingernail. One wrong move and we get chaos.
Arsenal attack and a late boot by Davies doesn't give away a penalty, it clears the ball superbly well that Ødegaard had forgotten to take with him as he dribbled away.
Bayern come again and a terrible pass from Zinchenko lands at the feet of Laimer on the edge of the box. The Austrian swings a wild boot at the tempting ball sat in front of him, and one lucky fan in the higher tier of the stadium has a lovely souvenir.
Sané feints one way and darts the other on the edge of Arsenal's box but he is sandwiched by a Zinchenko / Rice combo, who deal with the danger.
We've had an hour of football and right now, both teams look they could get at least another goal before full-time.
CHANCE. Bayern launch the slowest counter-attack on record but somehow make it to the edge of Arsenal's box with Goretzka, who drags his shot wide.
Arsenal have a central free-kick around half-way.
The Norwegian whips the ball to the far post and the shot is skewed across the box before being cleared by the Bayern defence.
Kane gets a booking for one of those typical jumps into a defender that he never got booked for in the Premier League. Gabriel, after a little lie down, is OK to continue.
Zinchenko's cross is cleared by Dier after a nice move from Arsenal that opened up a little bit of space for the left-back on the edge of the box.
Gabriel steps out well to stop a threatening ball inside from that man again, Sané, who is on a mission to make everyone remember just how good he was for a season in the Premier League.
This half is a lot more 50/50 than the first, which was easily dominated by Arsenal.
The home fans have certainly had their half-time kombucha, as they're throats are ringing with chants from the stands as Arsenal tap the ball around on halfway. Bayern sit like knowing crocodiles.
Ødegaard lets Martinelli's low cross go through his legs to Rice, who is not on his own at the edge of the box. Bayern recover.
Martinelli is blown for offside as he challenges a cross that is sent by Havertz on the right to the far post. Both teams have come out with goals on the brain.
Sané goes on another dangerous run from the right, darting inside. He slides the ball forward into space but both Gnabry and Kane have made the same cutting run, and miss the ball that flies behind them.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY!
The Gunners get us going.
The two teams are out...
Arsenal make a change:
OFF: Kiwior
ON: Zinchenko
That's one happy Harry
Although his facial expression makes me think he could be saying some not-so-nice things to those angry Arsenal fans.
I bet that hurt to type...
It's not been pretty from Arsenal's defence, who have been the architects of their own, incredible downfall.
Half-time thoughts:
It's safe to say not many expected that performance from Bayern. Or Arsenal.
Arsenal watched on for the first five minutes as Bayern familiarised themselves with the shape of the ball and after that, the dominance of the home side ticked into gear.
Saka took advantage early on, finding a space that only a baby mouse would consider sufficient to shoot on goal, but shoot he did, and the ball was whipped in past Neuer.
Implosion time.
Then Arsenal imploded. Despite having rode the Bayern 'wave', having 60% of the ball and a one goal lead on the scoreboard, the Gunners picked up the rifle and pointed it at their own eyeball, popping the trigger and letting the Germans into the game.
Saliba sent Kiwior one of the clumsiest passes I've ever seen, which allowed Goretzka to latch on and find Gnabry sprinting in behind.
He tapped past Raya to stun the stadium, dressed in red that was no match for the colour of their faces.
What came next was even worse. Arsenal probed again, but a run from Sané ended only when Ben White stuck a late leg in, sending him to the floor. Kane's jump for his celebration reminded everyone he had a working heart, as a cooler than cool pulse rate was needed to slot away the spot kick as easily as he did to put Tuchel's side ahead at the break.
HALF-TIME!
Arsenal are behind to Bayern as the half-time whistle goes.
1 added minute.
Jorginho is apoplectic as Arsenal struggle to bring the ball out from the back. The Bayern front three made up of Kane, Musiala and Laimer is keeping Arteta's buildup tactics sealed in a box as the home side huff and puff...
CHANCE. Saka's corner is sent towards the head of Havertz, but the German can't direct his effort towards goal and it bounces awkwardly off his haircut.
Arms are being thrown in the air and scarves slammed on the floor around the ground. Arsenal have lost their mojo and Bayern are jabbing back; even if they don't have the possession stats to show it, they're not under threat.
Kane goes down and gets the biggest pantomime boo of the night. A late leg left out by Martinelli stopped the former Spurs man from breaking away.
The Germans are tap, tap, tapping the ball around like the Emirates is their stadium and the Gunners in the stands are not a happy bunch as we get closer to half-time.
That was as simple as you like and it cut Arsenal open like a grapefruit. Sané was sent in behind by hanging on the last man and chasing down a long ball hoofed up the pitch from Bayern's defensive third.
HUGE CHANCE! Sané is one vs one with Raya and he drags his leg back to shoot after racing towards goal from halfway... and the ball runs away from his feet!
The home crowd has been stunned into silence...
Well, well, well... we're back underway and Arsenal have been their own worst enemies.
Kane casually dribbles the ball to his right as Raya goes flying the wrong way.
Harry Kane steps up...
Sané is taken down by Saliba inside the box!
The former City winger darted towards goal, leaving four defenders in his wake before being tripped by the centre-back.
PENALTY TO BAYERN
Saliba goes on an extraordinary run forward from the centre-back position and makes it all the way to the Bayern box before falling over his own feet.
HUGE CHANCE! A scramble from a Saka corner sees everyone kick the air as they race around the ball like a schoolyard melee. Neuer puts his grown up head on and dives into the snapping crocodile lake of football boots to take the ball away.
Squeals and gasps from the Arsenal fans as Kane clips a lovely ball over the top that's missed by Saliba and Musiala is a boot size away from getting a touch... Raya claims it.
Despite conceding, Arsenal are still dominating proceedings and are currently on 60% possession.
A half chance for Kiwior. He selects himself to go on a mission to redeem himself and directs a weak header towards Neuer, who giggles as he catches the bobbling ball.
We're back underway. Drama.
Kiwior can't control an admittedly terrible pass from Gabriel who is under no pressure at all. Goretzka latches onto it around halfway.
He drives forward and slips Gnabry in, who squeezes a low shot under Raya from close range.
Suicidal football from the home side.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL
GNABRY DRAWS BAYERN LEVEL FROM NOWEHRE
SAVE. Neuer saves White's effort from close range. The full-back raced in behind the Bayern defence and smashed a low, driven strike straight at the German.
Since the restart, it's been all Arsenal as they look to probe Bayern like curious aliens.
Back underway.
Unfortunately for Davies, it looks like it was him who could - and should - have closed down Saka inside the box.
It's a lovely inside pass from White to Saka who cuts in from the right. The winger takes the ball in his stride, makes a yard of space for himself inside the box and whips a ferocious effort past Neuer at the far post.
BUKAYO SAKA
The home side are controlling the ball now after Bayern's early dominance.
It looks like the ball goes out as Martinelli goes up against an out-of-place Davies on the right. The tall referee doesn't blow his whistle and allows the Brazilian to continue his adventure, but he runs it out himself.
His challenge on Saka was late, and perhaps a little revenge after the winger robbed him for Arsenal's earlier chance.
The first yellow of the game goes to Davies, who will miss the second leg.
CHANCE. Martinelli fires wide from the edge of the box and immediately asks for more from the crowd. Saka recovered from Davies high up the pitch and set the home side racing towards goal.
After 5 minutes and 8 seconds, Arsenal put together their first proper passing sequence. All of Bayern's defenders are holding firm as the London side edge towards Neuer.
Bayern still have the ball, and Arsenal have dropped back as the fans begin to boo...
It's a nervy start in London and Mikel Arteta already has his very cross face on as Bayern are controlling the ball.
Sané finds space down the right and whips a cross in that's cleared by Saliba.
A bit of head tennis to begin as neither team can keep hold of the ball.
AND WE'RE OFF!
Bayern get us rolling from right to left.
Glenn Nyberg has just shaken hands with Bayern captain Manuel Neuer which has made me realise that the referee is a huge man.
'OUR HOUSE' reads the fan banner
The Arsenal fans' sign held up behind the players as the Champions League anthem booms out reads Nuestra Casa (Our house).
Bayern are German, lads.
Here they come!
The players are on the pitch...
The players are in the tunnel!
We're almost ready to go!
What a noise from the crowd!
The Arsenal home fans are singing their hearts out as we await the players!
Warmups over!
The two teams are in the dressings rooms for the final team talks ahead of kick-off!
Smiles and serious faces from the Gunners
Ødegaard and Rice were snapped before the game with contrasting emotions: the Norwegian looked serious while the Londoner had a grin on him like a Cheshire cat.
Will he be smiling at the end of the game?
Final reminder of the two starting XIs:
ARSENAL: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Jorginho, Odegaard, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
BAYERN: Neuer; Kimmich, Dier, de Ligt, Davies; Goretzka, Laimer; Gnabry, Musiala, Sane; Kane
How are the nerves?
Bayern are in all black as Arsenal take to the field in their classic home strip of white and red. This season's kit has a sprinkling of gold on the sleeves and collar. Will it be a symbol of success?
And the answer is...
The last time Arsenal were in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals was way back in the 2008/09 season. That year, they made it to the final four but lost out to Manchester United.
Did you get it?
We've got Will Gittins over in a much warmer Madrid taking in the delights of the Bernabéu as Real Madrid take on Manchester City.
Quiz time!
Do you know...
When was the last time Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals?
BONUS: Who did they lose to? (Hint, they were the losing finalists to a Messi masterclass)
Five minutes until the answers are revealed!
Arsenal's Round of 16 scare
Arsenal, like Bayern, were made to sweat in the previous round and their games, tied at 1-1 on aggregate, went all the way to penalties.
David Raya was the hero on the night at the Emirates as he saved shot after shot from the spot, seeing his side through to the quarter finals.
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Arsenal fans making a huge noise!
The home fans are in full voice ahead of kick-off at the Emirates!
JUST OVER HALF AN HOUR TO GO!
Here's a reminder of the two starting XIs:
ARSENAL: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Jorginho, Odegaard, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
BAYERN: Neuer; Kimmich, Dier, de Ligt, Davies; Goretzka, Laimer; Gnabry, Musiala, Sane; Kane
ANDY RAIN / EFE
Nervous, Arsenal fans?
Three of Arsenal's four worst ever defeats in the Champions League have come at the hands of Bayern Munich.
For a time, it felt like The Gunners were going to face the Germans every single year, with Bayern coming out on top each time.
A large part of the reason Arsenal haven't reached the quarters since 2010 is due to tonight's opponents, and they have beaten Arsenal 5-1 on the last three occasions.
Here's how Sofascore see the XIs:
The boffins over at Sofascore Towers have put together this handy guide on how they think both sides will line up on the pitch at the Emirates.
It's a 4-3-3 from Arteta and Arsenal while Tuchel has gone with a 4-2-3-1. Of course, things on the pitch become fluid when the whistle blows, but this guide is as good as they come.
Thomas Tuchel pre-game quotes:
We have more experience in the Champions League. It's different in the Champions League compared to the Premier League.
We want to use that to our advantage. We've been rightly criticised after our performances in the cup and the league. We accept that. The consistency in our performances wasn't what we expect from ourselves.
Arsenal are currently the best team in the Premier League, all statistics prove that. They're in fantastic form. They're also the best team in Europe from set pieces. We're a little behind. We know about their strengths, how we want to hurt them.
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Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen are on the brink of the Bundesliga title after Bayern’s shock defeat to Heidenheim.
The German giants will have to put their domestic woes behind them if they are to get past Arsenal, who are top of the Premier League.
They are on the verge of losing a genuinely historic record if they let the league title slip, but how many consecutive title wins do they have under their belt?
ARSENAL STARTING XI:
Gabriel starts alongside Saliba as Martinelli gets his chance on the wing.
Bayern's Round of 16 confusion
It was a nervy affair for Bayern in the previous round as they stumbled in the first leg away at Lazio, conceding a poor goal and losing 1-0.
They took the loss on aggregate to Germany and smashed their opponents 3-0,momentarily putting the doubters into silence before they returned to their domestic fragility.
It's been an incredibly strange season for them so far, with nobody looking happy and Tuchel already on his way out. But time after time the star power continues to save them - will it be the same against such a well-drilled Arsenal?
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BAYERN XI REVEALED:
Kane starts up front as Neuer makes it back into the XI in a side jam-packed with talent.
Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League and have even been tipped by many as ‘dark horses’ to lift the Champions League trophy.
Here's how we think they might line-up ahead of the official confirmation of the team news for the game.
Possible Arsenal XI: David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Jorginho, Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard; Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesús.
Arsenal arrive at the stadium!
The Gunners have arrived at the Emirates ahead of kick-off. Team news is on the way!
Bayern in black strip
The Bavarians will be wearing their snazzy black kit that boasts a world map pattern on the front.
Adidas say that the design is to acknowledge Bayern fan clubs all around the globe who are united by the club motto: "Mia san Mia" ("We are who we are.")
Who are we to argue?
Have your say!
We've got a live poll up and running which gives you the chance to get involved and make a prediction ahead of kick-off in London.
It just had to be, didn't it?
Harry Kane couldn't stay away from North Londoneven if he tried his mega hardest. The former Spurs man, after leaving in the summer, is already back where it all started, facing Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League.
His record against Arsenal is quite something, too: in his 19 appearances for Spurs against their arch rivals, Kane scored a whopping 14 times.
Only two clubs - Leicester City and Everton - have conceded more goals to the Englishman than Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta pre-game quotes:
They’re a tough team. I’m a big fan, a big admirer of Thomas [Tuchel], his teams, the way they settle and play, the way they transmit. I learn a lot about him and looking at Bayern and when you are analysing this league, you see why they are a top team.
We have prepared very well, and we have to take our game where we want it, and if we do that, we have a chance to win. We haven’t had this opportunity for 15 years, so that tells you how special this night is going to be for us, so we’re going to have to put everything into every ball to make it happen.
It’s not only [Kane]! I think that the individuals that they have, all the individual qualities of all those players and him in particular, and the ability that he has. The best thing to do is what we do collectively and try to promote certain things.
Angelika Warmuth / REUTERS
How did Bayern get here: UCL Group stage story
Despite what you may hear, see and feel as the ground rumbles in Bavaria, it's not been entirely doom and gloom and dropped toast for the Germans this season, as they have made it this far in the Champions League.
In fact, Bayern topped Group A with a near-perfect record of 5 wins from 6, scoring 12 goals on the way. It's true that the 6 goals conceded perhaps showed the shadows of things to come, but they swept past their opponents Copenhagen, Galatasaray and Man Utd in the end.
BAYERN GROUP RESULTS:
Bayern 4-2 Man Utd
Copenhagen 1-2 Bayern
Galatasaray 1-3 Bayern
Bayern 2-1 Galatasaray
Bayern 0-0 Copenhagen
Man Utd 0-1 Bayern
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Sweden’s Glenn Nyberg will referee today’s Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium, as Arsenal look to seal a solid result against Bayern Munich, a team that has given them European nightmares over recent years.
He will be taking charge of his first ever Champions League knockout-stage match. A FIFA-listed referee since 2016, the 35-year-old was handed his debut in Europe’s top elite tournament in 2022/23, and has taken charge of six games in the competition until now.
Mahbod Beigi and Andreas Söderqvist will be the assistant referees at the Emirates.
Adam Ladebäck, also Swedish, will be the fourth official.
The VAR referee will be the Netherlands’ Pol van Boekel, and fellow Dutchman Dennis Higler will be the assistant VAR.
Arsenal ask fans to wear red in sold-out stadium
"With that additional home advantage in mind and 60,000 Gooners packed into our home, we are urging all our supporters with a ticket to wear something red if they can to help create an incredible spectacle for our players."
The club statement asked their fans to come dressed in red as they look to take full advantage of the home leg being first in the tough tie against their German opponents.
IAN KINGTON / AFP
How they got here: Arsenal group stage
The Gunners made it through a tough group that included PSV, Lens and Sevilla, a banana skin of a draw if ever you saw one. They finished top after winning 4, drawing 1 and losing 1, to Lens.
Not qualifying never looked like a problem for Arteta’s side, who conceded just 4 goals throughout the entire first stage while managing to put 16 past their three opponents.
ARSENAL'S UCL GROUP RESULTS
Arsenal 4-0 PSV
Lens 2-1 Arsenal
Sevilla 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Sevilla
Arsenal 6-0 Lens
PSV 1-1 Arsenal
The Champions League draw did not disappoint as it put Europe’s top teams against each other in a series of fascinating fixtures.
The Champions League draw is often like eating birthday cake: the anticipation often outweighs the actual enjoyment. It’s a cream sponge cake right until you take a bite and it’s just dust and air and cheap frosting.
Anyway, the Champions League drawthis year did exactly the opposite: it gave us four fantastic tie that leave everything open and it all to play for.
You’re a brave and knowledgeable human being if you can predict correctly which four teams will make it to the semi-finals, as they’re about as evenly matched as chance could get.
Bayern injury news:
Tuchel has Aleksandar Pavlovic, Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sané, and Noussair Mazraoui back in the squad.
They were all unavailable for the previous match against Heidenheim, but managed to participate in training.
Manuel Neuer, who missed the last two games due to a muscle tear in his left adductor, also managed to complete training with the German club a day before kick-off.
Arsenal injury news:
It’s happy days from Mikel Arteta who has welcomed back a few key figures for the game tonight.
Bukayo Saka was shrouded in a cloud of doubt in the days leading up to the game, with his fitness on the lips of fans across the city. However, he seems to have pulledthrough his issues and returned to the starting lineup for Arsenal’s win over Brighton.
Match sharpness was not an issue as Saka netted a goal to put Arsenal in the lead before being taken off in the 64th minute.
Gabriel had hearts in mouths when he went down against Brighton at the weekend, with the team of physios moving like lightning to get onto the pitch to attend to the Brazil international, who managed to continue and complete the full 90 minutes.
Gabriel has been getting through an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in August. Arteta said that things are looking up and “he’s doing very well. He’s back training, he’s not far off, the thing is that last step, he hasn’t played any minutes”.
Welcome!
Hello and a warm welcome from North London where we’ve got some fantastically exciting Champions League action to get our teeth into.
Arsenal host Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg and I (Joe) have the pleasure of guiding you through the action as it unfolds on the pristine Emirates pitch.
The action will kick-off in around 90 minutes from now.