Bayern Munich vs Arsenal | 2023/24 CL | Three Crucial Takeaways

Arsenal lost 0-1 to Bayern Munich in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie at the Allianz Arena last Wednesday. Thus, Mikel Arteta’s men lost 2-3 on aggregate, having drawn the first leg 2-2 at the Emirates and bowed out of the tournament.

Joshua Kimmich, Bayern Munich vs Arsenal — Image Obtained via GOAL

Joshua Kimmich scored the only goal of the match in the 63rd minute. The North Londoners now face the threat of spending another trophy-less season should they not be able to win the Premier League. Here are three takeaways from the Bayern Munich vs Arsenal game:

1. Bayern Were The More Dominant Team:

The German club were the more dominant side of the two teams in the quarterfinal second leg. Bayern Munich had 15 attempts at goal against eight for Arsenal and also enjoyed more ball-possession, especially in the first half.

Jamal Musiala, Raphael Guerreiro and Leroy Sane put a lot of pressure on the Gunners’ defenders, penetrating into the latter’s penalty box repeatedly. However, to their credit, the visitors defended well and David Raya did not have to come up with too many saves.

Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane — Image Obtained via Bavarian Football Works

The Bavarians had to wait till the second half to break the deadlock, as Kimmich scored with a header from a cross. The home side could have probably scored more goals had they been able to convert the chances that came their way.

2. Arsenal Lacked A Proper No 9 Against A Big Team:

Arsenal’s lack of a proper No. 9 came back to haunt them against a big team yet again. Kai Havertz started as the centre-forward, but was more of a false nine actually. Gabriel Martinelli had a decent match and some of his crosses from the left tested Bayern’s defence.

Bukayo Saka also came up with a few attempts in the second half, but was not able to breach the Bavarians’ defence. However, their efforts were not good enough to save the day for the Gunners. Gabriel Jesus came in as a substitute, but even his introduction failed to reverse the tide for the visitors.

3. The Season Might End On A Disappointing Note For The Gunners:

With Manchester City also out of the Champions League, Arsenal can expect stiffer challenge from the former in the Premier League. The Gunners have already fallen behind in the race for the league title and have some tough matches ahead of them.

In such a scenario, the North London side might have to finish the season without any trophy, just as they did last time around. Should they fail to win the Premier League title, manager Mikel Arteta might find himself under some sort of pressure.

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