How Bayern Munich beat Arsenal 1-0 to advance to Champions League semi-finals

Arsenal have only won one of their six away games against Bayern Munich in the Champions League (D1 L4).

That solitary victory came in March 2013 in the second leg of the round of 16. The bad news, despite winning on the night, is Arsenal were still eliminated in that tie on away goals.

The good news, however, is that Mikel Arteta was their captain that day, so at least he knows what it takes to win at the Allianz Arena!

We've got not one but two massive quarter-final matches tonight, and The Athletic has stepped up our coverage to make sure we've got every angle covered.

If you'd like to follow the action between Manchester City and Real Madrid tonight as well, head on over to our live blog for that match!

As he has been many times this season, Martin Odegaard was Arsenal's most creative player in the first leg against Bayern Munich, creating a team-high five chances. That stands as the most by an Arsenal player in a Champions League knockout stage game since Cesc Fàbregas did the same against Porto in February 2010.

The Athletic's Jordan Campbell recently examined the midfielder's time as a teenage sensation. Football loves a child prodigy but many struggle to live up to the hype. That might have been true of Odegaard but he is a rare example of a player who has survived the curse of the wonderkid. Check out his story at the link below.

A number of Arsenal fans have been sharing their pre-match thoughts in our matchday discussion, which you can find here or by scrolling to the top of this page and clicking 'Discuss'.

Victoria C: Win or lose - Just show up, play with courage and don’t let the atmosphere get the best of you. We have passed and failed plenty of tests the last few seasons and this is no different.

Julie H: Feeling very nervous. Just hoping the boys play their hearts out and things go our way. Games like this is what fandom is all about. COYG.

Steve F: I expect Arteta to play it much more defensively than in the first leg. Trying to win it at home made sense but also played to Bayern's strengths. Let them have the ball for a bit and try and play through the press. I think they can be had. One Nil to the Arsenal.

Both Arsenal and Bayern Munich fans believed their teams were denied penalties in last week's first leg. But, on both occasions, the on-field protests were (probably correctly) waved away.

After seeing the clash of personalities at Chelsea when they were awarded a penalty against Everton on Monday, we have been having a debate at The Athletic HQ.

Should football adopt one of NBA's rules and force the player who has been fouled have to take the resulting penalty?

Give Nick Miller's piece a read below and see if it changes or solidifies your opinion.

With Serie A set to grab one of next season's two extra Champions League spots, the race is on between the Premier League and the Bundesliga to grab the other.

Tonight's game will be key in that fight. With Borussia Dortmund advancing last night and English teams suffering multiple setbacks last week, a win for Bayern tonight would go a long way towards helping the Bundesliga.

The Athletic explains all at the link below.

Despite facing the winner of Manchester City vs Real Madrid in the semi-final, whoever makes it through today out of Bayern Munich and Arsenal will fancy their chances at going all the way.

For Arsenal, that could mean that today is the last game they play on foreign soil this season as the final is being held 11 miles from the Emirates at Wembley Stadium.

While, for Bayern, they have Champions League history at the home of English football, as they beat fellow Germans Dortmund 2-1 there in 2013.

For much of his time at Arsenal, Trossard has been trusted to make a difference from the bench and his equaliser in the first leg was his 13th goal scored after being brought on.

He was asked whether he is able to have a similar impact in matches that he starts.

"I think I've done it both from the start and as an impact," he responded. "Obviously it's nice that you can bring that to the team - even when you're on the bench, you can come in and help the team to get goals.

"That's nice for me but I think I can do either. I'm always ready to help the team as a sub or as a starter."

On the latest episode of Handbrake Off, The Athletic's Arsenal podcast, James McNicholas and Art de Roché joined Ian Stone to reflect on the team's disappointing home defeat to Unai Emery's Aston Villa. With Bayern Munich up next in the Champions League, and the tie in the balance, this could be a season defining week - how will Arsenal respond?

The panel also discuss whether Mikel Arteta's side have outgrown Zinchenko, and if moving Havertz into midfield was a mistake. Plus, a thrashing in the WSL as Arsenal beat Bristol City 5-0, and Bundesliga champion, Granit Xhaka.

Listen via your preferred podcast platform here!

If Bayern Munich advance tonight, Thomas Tuchel will become just the fifth coach to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League with three different teams, having previously done so with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho is the leader in this regard, having reached the final four with four different clubs: Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

Speaking yesterday, Tuchel also discussed Arsenal's tactics: "I think with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard they always attack on the right, at least the beginning of an attack. They try to create an overlap there to get through or to switch sides.

"We didn't learn anything new from the league game on Sunday (against Aston Villa). It's all very flexible, the transitions are very fluid. Most of the time everything happens, they're not a team that commits to one formation. You can recognise a lot of automatic, but also free-running moves."

Thomas Tuchel believes Bayern Munich have the “slight advantage” over Arsenal when it comes to Champions League experience — but concedes that Arsenal’s hunger to win the competition for the first time could also drive them to victory.

“I think we have the slight advantage of the experience in our team,” Tuchel told a press conference yesterday.

“We have players who’ve won it, we have players who’ve played decisive matches in this competition. But to make it an advantage we have to bring out the very best in us.”

On the other hand, Tuchel believes Arsenal’s relative inexperience could be decisive. “It can also sometimes be an advantage to not have the experience, to just have the role of a contender, the role of a hunter,” said the former Chelsea manager. “That can also be a theme for Arsenal — to go for it, to be the guys who finally do it after so many years.”

Speaking at yesterday's pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta discussed what he wants to see from his players: "A performance that puts us in the Champions League semi-final. All the preparation has been to achieve that, and earn it. We have been ready for 10 months and everything we did last season to start that journey in the Champions League after so many years, and tomorrow we have an unbelievable opportunity to make it happen."

On whether a win would make a statement: "Absolutely, it will be unbelievable. If we make it happen tomorrow, we are in the semi-final, and we will be in a really highly emotional state. It's something that we haven't achieved as a club for the last 15-17 years and that's the opportunity."

Arsenal have made the semi-finals of the Champions League twice in their history, in 2006 and 2009.

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabizter was the difference maker for Dortmund last night as scored one goal and set up two more in his side's 4-2 win against Atletico.

Those two assists moved him out on his own as the leader playmaker in this season's Champions League.

Most Champions League assists 2023-24

• Five assists – Marcel Sabitzer
• Four assists – Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Vinicius Jr
• Three assists – Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus, Warren Zaire-Emery, Rico Lewis, Niclas Fullkrug
• Two assists – Julian Alvarez, Rodrygo, Rodri, Joshua Kimmich, Jack Grealish, Reiss Nelson, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Fabian Ruiz

Only players still in the Champions League are included