How Arsenal came from behind to draw with Bayern Munich after late Saka penalty appeals were denied

UEFA has been criticised by the Football Supporters Europe (FSE) association after ticket allocations for the 2024 men’s Champions League and Europa League finals were confirmed today.

This year’s Champions League final, which will take place at Wembley on June 1, will see each team involved allocated 25,000 tickets of the 86,000 that are available in total. The remaining tickets will be offered for general sale to fans worldwide.

This season’s Europa League final, which will be held at the Dublin Arena in the Republic of Ireland on May 22, will see the two clubs in the final allocated 12,000 tickets each out of the 48,000 available.

The FSE has taken issue with the allocation to supporters of the participating clubs, calling on UEFA to increase the amount of tickets available.

On the latest episode of The Athletic's Arsenal podcast Handbrake Off, Amy Lawrence and Adrian Clarke join Ian Stone to reflect on Arsenal's 3-0 victory at the Amex.

The Gunners stayed top of the Premier League after Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford. The panel look ahead to the remaining fixtures, and discuss the maturity of Mikel Arteta's side compared to this time last season.

Plus, a look ahead to Bayern Munich's visit to the Emirates.

Listen in via your preferred podcast platform below.

Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane says team-mate Harry Kane is “really looking forward” to facing Arsenal in today's Champions League quarter-final first leg between the two sides.

Kane joined Bayern in the summer from Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur, having scored 14 times in 19 appearances in matches between the north London clubs.

“I hope he continues his run against Arsenal,” Sane said. “He always helps us, he scores lots of goals. It'll definitely be a special game for him. He's really looking forward to it. It's easy to play with him because he's a clever player.

“He knows how his team-mates play and tries to use that and to help his team-mates. We have a very good connection. He's a very good striker.”

Is Arteta building a dynasty at Arsenal?

On the latest episode of The Athletic FC Podcast, host Ayo Akinwolere is joined by Amy Lawrence, Jordan Campbell and Art de Roche as Mikel Arteta takes charge of Arsenal’s first Champions League quarter final in 14 years.

Top of the Premier League and with the opportunity to make a serious statement in Europe, how has Arteta revived this Arsenal side? And with Jurgen Klopp leaving and Pep Guardiola’s long-term Manchester City future uncertain, is he ready to build a dynasty in north London?

Listen in via your preferred podcast platform here!

The Champions League has reached the quarter-final stage and some of the world’s best players will be taking part in the two-legged ties.

To celebrate this wealth of talent, we asked our writers to share their best XIs based on the players available across the four quarter-finals.

See if you agree and comment with who you would include and leave out and why.

This quarter-final meeting marks the fifth time these two teams have been drawn against each other in the Champions League knockouts.

The bad news for Arsenal fans is that Bayern Munich have progressed on all four previous occasions.

• 2004-05: Round of 16 – Bayern 3-2 Arsenal
• 2012-13: Round of 16 – Bayern 3-3 Arsenal (Bayern progressed on away goals)
• 2013-14: Round of 16 – Bayern 3-1 Arsenal
• 2016-17: Round of 16 – Bayern 10-2 Arsenal

They also met in the group stages of the 2000-01 and 2015-16 Champions League campaigns. In 2000, the teams played out a 2-2 draw at Highbury before Bayern won 1-0 in Munich. 15 years later, Arsenal won 2-0 at home and lost 5-1 away.

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Thomas Tuchel says Arsenal are the best team in the Premier League and admits his Bayern Munich side are “a little behind” their opponents.

Bayern travel to Premier League leaders Arsenal in poor form, having suffered back-to-back Bundesliga defeats against Borussia Dortmund and Heidenheim, while Arsenal are unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions.

“Arsenal are currently the best team in the Premier League, all statistics prove that,” Tuchel said. “They're in fantastic form. They define themselves as a team. They're also the best side in Europe from set pieces.

“We're a little behind. They're playing at a consistently high level for the second year in a row and they play with a lot of energy. There's been a culture change under Arteta.”

Bayern Munich defender Eric Dier has said he is playing the "best football" of his career and should still be part of the England squad.

Dier, who has 49 caps, has not played for England since their World Cup last-16 win against Senegal in December 2022.

"Since the World Cup, I wouldn't say I've had any dip in form," Dier told The Overlap podcast. "I'm playing the best football of my career since (Antonio) Conte came (to manage Tottenham in 2021) and I've carried it on since.

"I want to be a part of the England set-up and I believe that I should be a part of it, that I'm that level of a player."

As well as this live blog, The Athletic is also running two live blogs alongside it.

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This is a tough question: how would you compose a starting XI with both teams' full squads to pick from.

Here's my go of it: Raya; White, Saliba, De Ligt, Davies; Rice, Kimmich; Saka, Musiala, Sane; Kane.

Tasty, eh? Especially hard luck to Neuer, Gabriel, Kim, Odegaard and Martinelli.

Do you agree, disagree? Let us know.

It is no surprise that the pressure is ramping up on Gareth Southgate to win a major trophy as England manager.

He will go to Euro 2024 (in Germany) this summer with a core of the most in-form players in Europe, including the two best creators in this season's Champions League.

Most assists Champions League 2023-24

• Four assists – Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka
• Three assists – Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Samuel Lino, Warren Zaire-Emery, Rico Lewis, Ilkay Gundogan
• Two assists – Julian Alvarez, Gabriel Jesus, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Rodri, Joshua Kimmich, Marcel Sabitzer, Raphinha, Nahuel Molina, Niclas Fullkrug, Reiss Nelson, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Pedri

Only players left in the Champions League have been included

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