**Arsenal**passed the first test of a tough schedule with a 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham, who have not won a **North London**derby away from home in the Premier League since 2010. But on Wednesday, the Gunners have a hoodoo of their own that they will be desperate to end in the Champions League.
The Emirates Stadium sets the stage again as **Arsenal**host Bayern Munich in their fifth fixture in the competition. Both clubs come into this showdown with a 100% winning record: while the hosts have an exceptional defensive record, the Bavarians have blown away adversaries with an explosive attack. But the men of Vincent Kompany can also call on history as an extra factor in their favour.
**Arsenal**are winless in their last five games against Bayern, who kicked them out of three **Champions League**campaigns between 2013 and 2017. But more symbolically, the Bavarians are responsible for some of the toughest times in the Emirates era for a club that have long aspired to be among the best.
The Gunners have shown records are there to be broken against Newcastle United and Fulham. If they triumph against their biggest bogey team in Europe, it would be the most satisfactory win of all.
The beginning of the end? (15.02.2017)
Arsene Wenger was once viewed as a revolutionary in the English game, empowering mavericks and finding French gems. But as time passed, the hero stayed long enough to see himself become a villain.
From 2011, the Round of 16 became the constant stumbling block for **Arsenal**in the Champions League as **Barcelona**and Bayern Munich made known the gap to the highest level of the game.
By the start of 2017, **Chelsea**were running away with the league title, and an impressive continental campaign would be the only source of solace for a manager whose critics grew louder by the day. But the prospect of a trip to the Allianz Arena was far from inspiring and fans’ fears would be realised.
Having endured a 5-1 beatdown from the Bavarians the season before in the group stage, **Arsenal**were rocked by a wonder goal from Arjen Robben, whose classic curled finish from the right was too sharp for David Ospina. Alexis Sanchez scored the rebound from a penalty, but it was false hope.
**Laurent Koscielny**suffered an injury at the start of the second half, and an already passive outfit completely collapsed. The guests were violently swept away in a 10 minute whirlwind as Robert Lewandowski landed a header in the net before Thiago Alcantara helped himself to a brace.
**Thomas Muller**made the night complete with a fifth strike, mirroring the score from the Gunners’ previous trip to Bayern, and the pressure on an iconic managerial figure had never been greater.
It’s time to go (07.03.2017)
**Arsenal**hardly fared any better in the reverse fixture at the **Emirates Stadium**a few weeks later.
Hopes of a comeback were slim to none, but Theo Walcott would give the fans something to shout about when he hammered a brilliant effort into the roof of the net to open the scoring for the hosts.
However, Koscielny was again at the centre of a collapse for the Gunners. This time, he had fouled Lewandowski in the 18 yard box, and the referee awarded a penalty. Upon further thought, the officials upgraded a yellow card to a red, and the Frenchman received his marching orders.
Lewandowski lashed the ball beyond Ospina, and any ambitions of the hosts were dead in the water.
Now it was all about professional pride for Arsenal, but the Bavarians were in no mood to ease up. Robben robbed the ball off Alexis, slotting away a second goal for the guests. Douglas Costa cashed in with a slick solo effort, and Arturo Vidal netted a brace as Bayern bagged four in 17 minutes.
It was the worst defeat for **Arsenal**on home soil since 1998, the biggest margin by which an English club have been defeated in the Champions League, and the second biggest margin of defeat for any team in the history of the competition. For many fans, this was a humiliation too painful to bear.
Wenger missed out on the top four, never coaching the Gunners in the Champions League. Such an individual deserved a better parting gift from the elite European stage, but his detractors would argue that this exit was overdue as **Arsenal**needed new ideas and a fresh voice to achieve their objectives.
A missed opportunity (09.04.2024)
That project involved a significant stint in the wilderness as **Arsenal**failed to qualify for the **Champions League**until 2023. But by the point that they had returned, the tables were turning.
The most recent visit of Die Roten to **North London**was at the perfect time for **Arsenal**to strike back as **Mikel Arteta**was masterminding the most complete phase of his rebuild at his old club.
The Gunners had been on their longest winning streak in the Premier League under Arteta, sitting at the top of the table ahead of three time defending champions Man City. On the other hand, Bayer Leverkusen were closing in on a historic **Bundesliga**crown to end a decade of dominance for Bayern. Set to part ways with Thomas Tuchel, the Rekordmeister were in disarray.
The hosts seized the initiative, pushing play forward through captain Martin Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka swept a superb finish past Manuel Neuer to put the team ahead. **Ben White**could have doubled the advantage, and a momentum shifting moment was needed to tip the tie back in Bayern’s favour.
Arsenal never do things easily, and self-inflicted damage did the trick. A rush of blood from David Raya allowed Bayern to break, and Serge Gnabry equalised against his old club. Then, Leroy Sane spun Jakub Kiwior, and William Saliba tripped the winger in the box. Harry Kane continued to torment his old nemesis from his **Tottenham**days, and suddenly Bayern had the upper hand.
Tuchel’s men adapted to contain Odegaard, and it took a moment of magic from substitute Gabriel Jesus to assist a second strike for the Gunners from Leandro Trossard late in the second half.
Arsenal were still level in the tie, but they now had to try to defeat the Bavarians on home soil.
Bavarian bottle job complete (17.04.2024)
Spirits were shaken, and the team looked worse for wear after another deadly blow on the weekend. Aston Villa arrived in **North London**with top four aspirations in their hands, and goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins handed Unai Emery a 2-0 victory over his former employers. City would claim pole position, never looking back on the way to the four peat, and confidence was crippled.
Arteta attempted to address the problem position of left back with the introduction of Takehiro Tomiyasu to the position instead of Kiwior. But the Gunners had little firepower to threaten their opponents at the Allianz Arena, and the contest seemed to hang much more on whether or not the Bavarians were willing to turn the screw. At the start of the second half, they obliged in a big way.
Tuchel’s men smashed the post twice inside a minute of the restart, and by the 63rd minute, they had taken the lead. White was too slow to close down a cross from Raphael Guerreiro and Joshua Kimmich slammed a header beyond Raya. A lethargic Arsenal huffed and puffed until the final whistle, but their feeble fightback never looked like unsettling an experienced European opponent.
Arsenal won the rest of their games in the 2023/24 campaign, but it was too little, too late. The trophyless streak continued, and the psychological barrier against the Bavarians remained in tact.
Two seasons later, it is clear that Arteta’s project is no flash in the pan. But the players have to prove their worth in the biggest moments, and a victory against Bayern would be a big statement of intent.