The reigning UEFA Champions League holders will visit the Emirates Stadium to face an Arsenal side that progressed into the quarter-final of the FA Cup after defeating Liverpool by two goals to one and is a point behind English Premier League leaders Chelsea. The Bavarian giants swept aside the North Londoners last season in England 3-1 and while Arsenal responded with a 2-0 victory at the Allianz Arena, they were knocked out on the away goals rule. In the end, Bayern Munich went on to lift the trophy for a fifth time.
Arsene Wenger’s mission to seek revenge against a Pep Guardiola side will be difficult without the likes of injured Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott and suspended vice-captain Mikel Arteta. There is good news for Arsenal, with the return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the familiarity of the Bundesliga style of play whereby Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski all have experience in.
Franck Ribery and Xherdan Shaqiri will miss the game due to a buttock injury and a muscle injury respectively, but that will not stop the likes of Mario Gotze, Arjen Robben and Mario Mandukic from giving world class performances. The German champions go into the tie in good form, winning their last nine matches in all competion, scoring 28 goals and only conceding two.
Recent form
Arsenal: WDWLDW
Bayern: WWWWWW
Key players
Bastian Schweinsteiger will have an important role in stopping Arsenal’s attacking threat from penetrating his side. He will need to be on the top of his game to help his side get that important away goal to bring back to Munich.
His German counterpart, Mesut Ozil will be looking forward to hurt his countrymen by being an influential figure in the game. With the help from the likes of Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Olivier Giroud upfront, Ozil will need to be key if Arsenal is likely to qualify for the quarter-finals.
