1
Bayern Munich will have several uncomfortable memories to contend with when they welcome Arsenal to the Allianz Arena for Wednesday evening’s Champions League encounter. The last meeting between the two European heavyweights ended in a comprehensive 3-1 victory for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, bringing Vincent Kompany’s remarkable unbeaten start to the 2025/26 season to an abrupt end.
Bayern arrived in London last November having gone 18 competitive matches without defeat. Both sides had collected maximum points from their opening four Champions League fixtures. The encounter ultimately proved considerably more comfortable for the hosts than the final scoreline suggested.
Despite enjoying 60 percent possession, Bayern registered just eight shots and generated 0.65 expected goals. Arsenal, meanwhile, produced 13 attempts and an xG total of 3.11. Lennart Karl’s spectacular first-half equalizer provided the visitors with their only goal.
As Germany’s record champions prepare for another confrontation with the reigning English champions, four particular shortcomings from last November’s defeat stand out.
Allowing Arsenal too many dangerous set-piece opportunities
Bayern’s problems began in the 22nd minute when Bukayo Saka delivered a corner into the six-yard box. Manuel Neuer attempted to intercept the delivery but arrived too late, allowing Jurrien Timber to head Arsenal into the lead. The incident represented considerably more than an isolated goalkeeping error.
Arsenal repeatedly threatened from dead-ball situations throughout the encounter, winning six corners compared with Bayern’s solitary effort. Mikel Merino came especially close to restoring Arsenal’s advantage in the 58th minute, sending a glancing header narrowly wide following another corner.
Bayern’s players and management subsequently acknowledged that they had failed to cope with Arsenal’s considerable strength in this department.
“We allowed them too many set-piece situations,” Joshua Kimmich told reporters after the match. “The big problem today was the marking off corners. For us, the whole game came down to set-pieces. Corners, free-kicks, and even throw-ins. Things can get dangerous against a team that lives for such situations.”
The lesson for Wednesday is straightforward. Bayern cannot afford to concede unnecessary corners and free kicks, particularly when Arsenal’s delivery and movement inside the penalty area have already caused them so many problems.
Mistaking possession for control of the match
Bayern’s statistical dominance in possession disguised the extent to which Arsenal controlled the dangerous areas of the pitch. Kompany’s team enjoyed their best spell immediately after Karl’s outstanding 32nd-minute equalizer. Kimmich picked out Serge Gnabry with a magnificent diagonal pass, and the former Arsenal winger redirected the ball into Karl’s path with an equally impressive first-time volley.
The 17-year-old finished emphatically, becoming the first player to breach Arsenal’s defense in that season’s Champions League campaign. As Get German Football News’ original player ratings and match analysis highlighted, however, Bayern struggled to reproduce the quality of that attacking move. The visitors became increasingly ineffective after halftime.
Arsenal exploited a Kimmich mistake to create an opportunity for Saka in the 48th minute. Merino twice threatened with headers, while Neuer was forced into impressive interventions against Cristhian Mosquera and another dangerous Arsenal attack shortly after the hour mark. Declan Rice, who earned Kicker’s Man of the Match honors, repeatedly helped Arsenal impose themselves in midfield.
Bayern’s established attacking stars offered relatively little in response. Michael Olise found himself largely neutralized by Myles Lewis-Skelly, while Harry Kane struggled to make an impact inside the penalty area despite regularly dropping deeper to participate in buildup play.
Olise will not have an opportunity to make amends for that performance on Wednesday. The French international is suspended for the rematch, leaving Kompany without one of his most important attacking players.
Kane’s difficulties were especially significant given the English striker’s increasingly sophisticated role under Kompany. Against Arsenal, those creative qualities were largely prevented from producing meaningful opportunities.
Bayern will need more than a statistical advantage in possession on Wednesday. Finding ways to penetrate Arsenal’s midfield and provide Kane with effective support in advanced areas will be considerably more important.
Making costly mistakes against Arsenal’s aggressive pressing
Bayern’s problems in possession were not confined to a lack of attacking penetration. The visitors repeatedly endangered themselves with misplaced passes and questionable decisions when attempting to play through Arsenal’s pressure. Kimmich’s error shortly after halftime was one example, although Bayern escaped punishment on that occasion.
Dayot Upamecano’s mistake in the 69th minute proved considerably more consequential. The French international surrendered possession while attempting to build from the back, allowing Arsenal to construct another dangerous attacking move. Riccardo Calafiori, who had only just entered the match, eventually found space on the left and delivered a cross toward the far post.
Noni Madueke arrived to finish from close range, restoring Arsenal’s lead. Upamecano had already endured a difficult evening. The defender received an early booking for a challenge on Mosquera and was fortunate to escape a second yellow card following another foul on Madueke shortly before the hour mark.
The Frenchman also struggled with Eberechi Eze’s movement, frequently following the attacking midfielder into different areas of the pitch. For Wednesday’s rematch, maintaining composure during buildup will be particularly important.
Leaving the defense exposed during transitions
Bayern’s final major mistake provided the most memorable image of the entire encounter. With the visitors pushing forward in search of another equalizer, Arsenal launched a counterattack in the 77th minute.
Gabriel Martinelli sprinted onto Eze’s pass and encountered Neuer extraordinarily far from his goal. The Brazilian simply carried the ball beyond the Bayern captain before advancing toward an empty net and converting Arsenal’s third.
Neuer’s decision attracted considerable criticism afterward. The veteran goalkeeper acknowledged his unfortunate positioning in the mixed zone, explaining that he had attempted to intervene before Martinelli could establish a clear goalscoring opportunity.
“I found myself in a suboptimal position,” Neuer explained in comments reported by GGFN. “When one falls behind, one has to take risks. I rushed out in order to try and prevent a goal. The pass was good and he scored.”
Kompany subsequently defended the principle behind Neuer’s decision, questioning whether the keeper should have remained passive while an opposing attacker advanced toward his goal.
Neuer, who missed Bayern’s last two matches with a foot injury, returned to training on Tuesday and is expected to reclaim his starting position against Arsenal, provided he suffers no late setback. The 40-year-old will certainly be under the microscope following his error-strewn performance against Augsburg and his costly mistakes in last November’s encounter with the Gunners.
Bayern seek a different outcome against familiar opponents
The November defeat ultimately offered a rare demonstration of how thoroughly a well-organized opponent could disrupt Kompany’s Bayern. The Belgian acknowledged afterward that Arsenal had displayed superior game management, while Eberl praised the London club’s tactical preparation and ability to create chaos in open play.
Kompany nevertheless insisted that the defeat would form part of his team’s development, emphasizing the importance of learning from setbacks rather than abandoning the principles that had produced such an impressive start to the season. Almost eleven months later, Bayern have another opportunity to demonstrate precisely what they learned from that evening in North London.
