Arsenal delivered a commanding 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening, sending a resounding message to their Champions League rivals. The Gunners sit top of the league phase standings with a flawless record after five matches, having dismantled the German titans at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta's squad broke the deadlock through Jurrien Timber's first-half header from a corner, adding another strike to their impressive tally of set-piece goals. Bayern levelled matters through Lennart Karl ten minutes afterwards but Arsenal improved in the second half. Following a series of chances, Noni Mdueke eventually restored Arteta's side's advantage with 20 minutes left on the clock. Gabriel Martinelli wrapped up the win moments afterwards by beating Manuel Neuer to a ball just past the halfway line before slotting it into an unguarded net.
The result helped the Gunners erase any remaining recollections of previous setbacks against Bayern as the Premier League pacesetters declared their Champions League credentials. Here's what the German press made of Arsenal's performance against Bayern.
Spiegel
The match analysis from Spiegel captured the broader significance of the outcome: "Arsenal are number one in Europe. Bayern are number one in Germany." It marked Bayern's first loss in 19 matches, underlining Arsenal's achievement.
Vincent Kompany's team faced criticism for their lacklustre attacking display, made worse by Neuer's latest blunder during a troubling spell. Following the 39-year-old being outrun for Martinelli's match-winning strike, Spiegel wrote: "It's not 2014 anymore, Manuel Neuer, it's 2025."
The German publication remarkably handed Arsenal's set piece specialist Nicolas Jover the man of the match award. The report described Arsenal as dangerous from every corner and free-kick, reducing Bayern to "a panicked mess".
Bild
Bild hailed Arsenal as "arguably the best football team in Europe right now" following their performance against Bayern Munich. Arteta's squad were branded Bayern's toughest opponents so far this season, though the publication identified grounds for hope after Bayern's undefeated run ended.
Vincent Kompany's team have been told to "learn the right lessons from the pain". However, Bild refused to place sole responsibility on Neuer's mistakes for the defeat.
The match report felt that Bayern had not faced a genuine test before encountering Arsenal. Consequently, the German champions "looked shaky and vulnerable again against Arsenal's counter-attacking machine".
The publication also highlighted set pieces as a defensive frailty that Kompany must tackle. However, it suggested this loss could eventually benefit Bayern after exposing their weaknesses against the Gunners.
Suddeutsche Zeitung
German publication Suddeutsche Zeitung has declared that Arsenal are leading contenders to claim Champions League glory. The opening line of its match report reads: "Tactical flexibility, perfected set pieces – and Declan Rice. Against Bayern Munich, it becomes clear why Arsenal are title favourites both domestically and internationally this season."
The Gunners' capability to find the net through a variety of methods received acclaim from the publication, which drew comparisons with Bayern. Arsenal were described as "practically the antithesis of Kompany's Bayern Munich's one-size-fits-all strategy".
In a summary of international media coverage, Suddeutsche Zeitung noted that the remainder of Europe was celebrating the conclusion of Bayern's unbeaten streak. Citing a report from Spanish outlet AS, Arsenal were branded "the terror of Europe".
Ran
German publication Ran was ready to crown Arsenal as Europe's finest team following their display against Bayern. Following a tight first half, the Gunners demonstrated their quality after the interval, with the gulf between the two teams becoming more apparent as the game unfolded.
The match report said: "So pronounced, in fact, that at least for the moment, the question of who the best team in Europe is has been settled. Arsenal were at least slightly better in every aspect, and more likely significantly better."