Munich takes the Champions League stage after Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona drew continental attention a day earlier, with Bayern Munich welcoming Arsenal in a meeting of two clubs whose ambitions now reach beyond a single European night. The Allianz Arena offers Bayern the advantage of home ground, but Arsenal arrive as English champions and with the confidence of a side that has steadily closed the gap on the established giants.
Bayern’s European history remains imposing: the German club have won the continent’s leading prize six times. Arsenal are still pursuing their first, having lost the 2006 final to Barcelona and then fallen to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties last season. Yet Mikel Arteta’s team ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title in May, making this a much more even contest than the honours list alone might suggest.
The hosts have several concerns before kick-off. Michael Olise is suspended after his dismissal against Viking last Tuesday, when two quick yellow cards ended with the second being shown after he sent the ball into Zlatko Tripic’s face. Jamal Musiala is also unavailable through injury, while Joshua Kimmich missed the final training session for personal reasons and remains uncertain.
Vincent Kompany’s own presence on the Bayern bench is in doubt. The coach stayed away from training and the pre-match media appearance because of a virus, with assistant Aaron Danks taking his place. Danks said Kompany had experienced some discomfort in his legs but stressed that it was “only a virus” and that the manager would return when rest had done its work. He could not say whether that would be the following day or after another two or three days.
There was already a glimpse of that altered touchline arrangement in Saturday’s 6-1 Bundesliga victory over Leipzig. Kompany was on the bench, but Danks directed the players from the technical area. Manuel Neuer could also be absent again: the goalkeeper missed both the trip to Norway and the Leipzig match because of a foot problem, although he has trained for the past two days.
The off-field uncertainty comes after Bayern’s unexpected 3-3 draw with Viking, a result that left them on four points and needing to make up ground in the league phase. Arsenal, by contrast, have opened with two wins, edging Napoli 1-0 away before beating Lille 3-0 in London.
Arteta has a far shorter injury list, with winger Christos Tzolis his only confirmed absentee. Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest on Saturday was more practical than polished, but it kept them three points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City. Noni Madueke came off the bench to score the winner and may now be in line to start in Munich.
Madueke has already made a mark against Bayern. A year ago, also introduced as a substitute, he scored during Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over the German side at the Emirates in the league phase. His possible inclusion would add another attacking option to a team that has travelled well in Europe so far.
Kane meets an Arsenal defence reshaped by injury
For Bayern, the central danger is Harry Kane. The 33-year-old has scored nine times in 10 matches in all competitions since the season began, including one Champions League goal against Bodø/Glimt and both goals against Viking. He has found the net in nine successive games and is now two matches away from Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2017-18 Real Madrid record.
Kane’s likely opponent will be Ezri Konsa, his England colleague, who was signed by Arsenal this season after William Saliba suffered a back injury. Their international familiarity will count for little once the game begins, with Bayern seeking to turn home support into a response after the Viking setback and Arsenal trying to underline that their domestic revival has given them a genuine place among Europe’s leading challengers.
