Key stats
- Arsenal have beaten Bayern Munich for the first time in the Champions League since 20th October 2015, a run of five games without a win.
- Bayern have scored in their last 12 games in the Champions League, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 30 games from 13th March 2019 to 8th March 2022.
- Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has made 10 Opta-defined errors leading to goals in the Champions League for the club – four of them have been against Arsenal.
Highlights
Analytics
Bukayo Saka was awarded the highest Flashscore rating of the match (8.0) while Man of the Match Jurriën Timber was closely behind on 7.8.
Match report
It was a positive start from a Bayern side in blistering form, but Arsenal played to their strengths and opened the scoring on 22 minutes. It came from yet another set piece, as Bukayo Saka floated in a corner to be met by Jurriën Timber, who nodded over a flailing Manuel Neuer and into the net.
Having gone behind and subsequently avoided defeat in each of their last two matches, the German side were unfazed, and responded perfectly 10 minutes later. Joshua Kimmich’s arrowed pass was volleyed calmly by Serge Gnabry into the path of Lennart Karl, who fired past David Raya to make it two in as many UCL starts.
There easily could have been another for either side as an entertaining first half came to a close, but the flow of chances began to turn in the hosts' favour after the restart.
Mikel Merino glanced a whisker wide from the centre of the area, before Cristhian Mosquera’s header was somehow kept out by Neuer from point-blank range. Saka was then just a backstep away from turning in on the rebound after Neuer toed away Rice’s effort, but all those chances were just a preamble to what came next.
Just moments after coming on, Riccardo Calafiori sailed down the left and took it off Eberechi Eze on the overlap, before whipping a perfect cross onto the foot of Noni Madueke, who fired into the net first time.
The visitors predictably thundered forward in response, only to be opened up on the counter by the rapid Gabriel Martinelli, who confidently rounded the outrushing Neuer and passed into the empty net.
Any hopes of Bayern preserving their unbeaten record were quashed by that goal, and Mikel Arteta’s side saw out a famous win. Arsenal’s fantastic 16-match unbeaten run in all competitions continues, and the result is a massive statement of intent that they can lift European football’s most coveted prize for the first time.
Vincent Kompany’s side finally caved to easily the best side they have so far faced this campaign, but won’t be too disappointed given that this is just their first defeat in 22 competitive away outings.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jurriën Timber (Arsenal)
Click here to see all the stats of the match.
Post-match comments
Noni Madueke scored his first Arsenal goal this evening in what he described as a "statement" victory for the Gunners against Bayern Munich.
"I couldn't have picked a better game to score my first Arsenal goal," he told TNT Sports. "I am so happy the team got the win as well.
"It's an incredible statement, but we know the work we put in. We go into these game with every confidence that we are going to win.
"I am a confident player. I don't like someone telling me I cannot do something. But my team mates and and staff have belief in me."
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports: "Look at Bayern Munich this season, they have been the best team in Europe. This was probably the toughest game tactically we have played this season. The way they work it is so, so good.
"We went man to man with them in the second half and I thought tonight we were outstanding. The manager is so happy. It was a special European night.
"Yes, definitely (on whether it feels different to last season). There are so many leaders in the team. We are just taking it one game at a time. There is a hunger and desire to win every game. There is a long way to go - let's not get carried away."
Tonight's defeat was Bayern Munich's first loss of the season, and as such former Tottenham striker Harry Kane says it's too early for his team to hit the panic button.
"It was a tough game which is kind of what we expected," he told TNT Sports. "It was a good battle in the first half which was fairly even.
"Second half we didn’t quite have the same energy or intensity and we lost too many duels. It's our first loss of the season. We don’t want to panic too much about it. But we will learn about it for sure.
"They won the first and second balls. Set pieces, we knew they would be dangerous. I'm sure we'll see them (Arsenal) again in the later stages of the Champions League.
"They defended man for man pretty much all over the pitch. As I said, I don’t think it’s time to panic. We have played Chelsea, and Paris St-Germain and Arsenal away. We have won the majority of our games."