Bayern Munich certainly look ready for their trip to Emirates Stadium after demolishing Freiburg 6–2.
Vincent Komany’s Bayern appeared unfazed after going two goals down early in the game. The Bavarians responded by scoring six unanswered goals in the final 70 minutes of the match to establish an eight-point lead in the Bundesliga.
Five different players found the back of the net for Bayern Munich, with former Crystal Palace star Michael Olise scoring a brace and assisting three times ahead of his return to London.
Michael Olise was unplayable against Freiburg. / Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Arsenal nemesis Harry Kane also scored his 14th Bundesliga goal. The former Tottenham Hotspur talisman has been one of the best players in the world this season amassing 29 goals and three assists in 23 appearances for club and country.
Kompany’s men are undefeated through 18 games across all competitions, scoring a staggering 64 goals.
Bayern face their toughest challenge of the season on Wednesday, but they’ve been successful against their Champions League opponents over the past decade.
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Joshua Kimmich (middle) scored the game-winner the last time Bayern Munich faced Arsenal. / Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Bayern Munich and Arsenal have met three times in the knockout rounds of the Champions League since 2014—the German goliaths advanced every single time.
Most recently, now England manager Thomas Tuchel led Bayern Munich past Mikel Arteta’s side in the 2023–24 Champions League quarterfinals. After a 2–2 draw in the first leg at the Emirates, Joshua Kimmich scored the lone goal of the second leg to send Bayern through to the semifinals.
Prior to that, Bayern destroyed Arsenal 10–2 on aggregate in the 2016–17 round of 16. Bayern also put five past the Gunners in their second meeting of the 2015–16 group stage.
During the 2013–14 campaign, a 2–0 win at the Emirates propelled Bayern to the Champions League quarterfinals during Pep Guardiola’s debut season with the club.
Even though Kompany is relatively new to the Champions League as a manager, the Belgian was part of multiple Man City teams that routinely brushed the Gunners aside.
Arsenal are in a much different place nowadays, emerging as the favorites to win both the Champions League and Premier League this term. Arteta also got the better of Kompany when the latter managed Burnley.
Luis Díaz is set to miss the match after being handed a three-game suspension for a red card challenge on Achraf Hakimi. However, given Bayern’s recent form and crucial Arsenal injuries, the Germans will feel the game is there for the taking.
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