Bayern Munich - Arsenal summary: score, goals, highlights, Champions League

That's all, folks!

Thanks for following the coverage. Make sure to check out AS USA for all the latest on the Champions League.

Joe

Full time report:

Bayern Munich are into the final four of the Champions League after winning 1-0 against Arsenal, giving them a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Thomas Tuchel's side defended for large swathes of the game off the ball and in their own half, but their off-ball structure did well to hold Arsenal back and limit their number of clear-cut chances.

Bayern attacked sporadically on the counter and sent crosses into the Arsenal box, all for them to be batted back as the two sides cancelled each other out in the same way a mathematical equation can be said to be elegant and beautiful.

The second half saw Bayern race out of the blocks and bring back first-leg Arsenal, as the Gunners began to wobble and make mistakes. It looked as though they had ridden though the roughest of seas but Joshua Kimmich fired a bullet header past Raya after a counter attack from the home side finally paid off.

With the advantage on the scoreboard, the initiative fell to Arsenal, whothreatened very little as the Game wore on. Minute by minute, the goal threat from the away side looked to dry up as Neuer controlled his defenders admirably in the way a lion controls their pride.

In the end, the Germans saw out the game that could well have carried on for a thousand years had the fine tuned constants of the universe been slightly different.

[3-2 agg.]

FULL-TIME!

BAYERN ARE THROUGH TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Raya is up.

We're over the added time and Arsenal win a corner...

Bayern clear Arsenal's long throw into the box...

We're into the final 60 seconds...

Gabriel Jesus is booked for protesting angrily.

Kimmich is down after a challenge from Trossard, and the clock shaves off 30 seconds.

There's an offside but the goalmouth scramble on the edge of Neuer's goal has 75,000 hearts in mouths.

4 added minutes.

SAVE. Musiala skips inside, outside, inside on the right and his shot bobbles into the hands of Raya.

Two balls on the pitch alarm! That's always fun.

Another Tuchel sub:

OFF: Sané

ON: Upamecano

WIDE. Ødegaard thinks it's deflected (and it is) as his shot hits the side netting. Goal kick given.

SAVE. Musiala latches onto a long ball but the angle is tight as he curves in from the left and his shot stops at Raya's hand.

Another Arsenal change:

OFF: Tomiyasu

ON: Nketiah

Arsenal have really lacked a cutting edge in this game...

White goes into the book for a late tackle that stops a Bayern counter.

Raphael flicks the ball through Ben White's legs and Musiala races away down the left. However, his pass towards Kane is cut out by Saliba who does well to keep his eyes on the ball and not the man.

We're into the final 10 and those Bayern screams have turned into nerves...

CLOSE. Gabriel sticks a leg out and stops Goretzka's throughball from finding Kane, who was away and one on one with Raya. Superb defending.

... and flies behind goal. Bayern defend well.

Arsenal are still pressing high as Bayern look around for options to build up. 

The away side win a free kick around 35 yards out, just to the right. It's set to be crossed in...

Less than fifteen minutes to go... can Arsenal find an equaliser?

Bayern change:

OFF: Mazraoui

ON: Kim Minjae

CLOSE. Saka's corner is swung in ferociously and threatens to bend into the goal at the far post. Neuer is forced to dive upwards and punch it behind for another chance to attack for Arteta's side.

It's Bayern now who have gone 'Full Arsenal' and are tapping the ball around with the Gunners chasing wildly as the clock runs down.

CHANCE. Kimmich, who is making a case as Bayern's best player so far, drives down the right and sees his shot blazed over the bar.

Rice rushes things as he sees a run from Havertz in behind, but the ball is overhit and sails into Neuer's palms.

Bayern's 4-2-3-1 in defence is causing the Gunners problems in the buildup. They're being allowed to pass on halfway with the centre-backs but move forward and Bayern step up, crowdingthe midfield and making Ødegaard disappear.

Remember, Arsenal need two if they want to progress. One goal would see them level and put extra-time on the horizon.

Arsenal subs:

OFF: Jorginho, Martinelli

ON: Jesus, Trossard

A member of the Bayern technical staff has just been booked for being a very naughty junge.

Back underway. Arsenal with it all to do.

Sané plays in from the right and the cross hits the bar and finds Guerreiro on the opposite side.

He takes a touch and clips in a cross towards the penalty spot where Kimmich is there to drive his blonde locks towards the ball to fire past Raya!

[3-2]

Anhour gone in Munich and this game is like watching two stumpy elephants try to kick each other from 4 metres apart. There's lots of potential to do damage but nothing is sticking.

Laimer does well to get back and steal the ball from Rice who had advanced down the right.

A scary moment as Gabriel passes the ball towards Raya but he mis-hits it and it rolls out for a corner to Bayern. Nerves.

Ødegaard gets the ball inside the box after a nice pass in a tight space from Martinelli down the left.

Unfortunately for him, he's immediately crowded out by around 4 Bayern defenders, who collectively steal the ball from him.

The Bayern fans continue to bang the drums and are screaming for their side to reassert themselves as we saw right at the beginning of the second half.

Laimer takes down Ødegarrd who spins away and after some thinking time from Danny, he gets booked.

Arsenal have remembered that they can indeed attack and have pushed Bayern back 30 yards, into their own defensive third. 

Two thumbs up from the full-back who can definitely see clearly now and we're rocking and rolling once again.

Tomiyasu is receiving treatment...

turns out it's his contact lens that has come out. Not strictly a footballing injury but just as important.

It seems like first-leg-Arsenal have come out of the tunnel, swapping shirts with the mature side we saw in the first half. The nerves are back and the mistakes are dripping in...

Mazraoui is down after a fantastic challenge on Martinelli, who was racing away on the counter. It's a free-kick to the home side near halfway.

HUGE CHANCE!!! Bayern attack down the right and the ball is floated towards Goretzka, who slams a header off the far post! Raya had no chance!

[2-2 agg.]

SECOND HALF UNDERWAY!

Arsenal get the ball rolling for the second 45.

The players are back out on the pitch!

We're ready to go!

Questions to think about...

· Would Arteta want to change things and potentially rock the apple cart, opening gaps for Bayern to exploit?

· And will Tuchel be happy that Arsenal have controlled so much of the ball as the away side?

xG for the first half:

The numbers are quite low in Germany as both sides, as we've seen, are putting caution over crazy.

We've had a goal in Madrid but we all know that the football purists are keeping an eye on the German action.

Half-time thoughts:

There is nothing, not even the eyelash of a baby squirrel, to separate these two sides as they fire tentative shots at each other from range. Literally.

Both sides have each other's phone numbers, addresses and google passwords as they probe without opening things up wide at the back.

Lessons have been learnt from the first leg that saw mistakes cause goals, and this tie is the summary of lots of shouty meetings during the week. 

Bayern have come close on occasion on the counter-attack as Arsenal have controlled the ball for large spells and created their own danger, but there is nothing major to report at the break in terms of huge moments in front of goal.

Arsenal call the first half 'mature'

I'd call it cagey. But they are the away side and rightly know the power behind those Bayern legs.

HT [2-2 agg.]

HALF-TIME!

There's nothing to separate the two sides after 45 minutes.

1 added minute.

I suspect we won't see much added time, perhaps just a couple of minutes, if that.

Bayern are still happy to sit off and shuffle left to right as Arsenal probe like curious aliens.

The Germans know the speed they possess on the counter attack and they're being very patient about it, despite the pressure from the crowd to attack.

[2-2 agg.]

OVER THE BAR. White controls a bouncing ball on the edge of the box, skips right past his marker and cracks a wild effort over Neuer's goal.

Five to go of normal time. Arsenal are continuing to threaten Bayern's defensive third.

SAVE. Havertz gets on Rice's cross and Neuer saves easily as the ball swirls up into the air before dropping gracefully into his huge hands.

Ødegaard is limping. Arteta has asked for calm. Nobody is calm.

BIG CHANCE. Laimer gets it all wrong in his own half and Havertz steals the ball on the edge of the box. The German plays left to Martinelli, who wastes the opportunity by playing a rushed cross low into the feet of De Ligt.

There's a bit of angry protesting from Bayern's players after some confusion as to whether or not the referee had allowed Arsenal's physios onto the pitch.

The arguments are over and we're back underway, but the nerves are bubbling under the surface...

CLOSE. Jorginho is forced to slide in on Musiala inside the box after Kimmich played a sublime ball through the defence from the edge of the area.

The challenge is perfect from the Italian, who has performed well so far.

Arsenal have done well to ride the German wave and are now on top in the game. They're putting Bayern under pressure off the ball and are creating plenty of danger as Bayern's defensive line wobbles.

SAVE. As the clock ticks over onto half an hour, we've just had the best chance of the game.

The ball is played in low from the right and Martinelli has to put it to one side of the goalkeeper - he does neither and side-foots a weak effort right into Neuer's grateful arms that hug the ball.

HUGE SAVE. Neuer is almost caught out as Ødegaard's shot is deflected from the edge of the box but he manages to get a claw to it. 

Bayern clear as Saka's cross is floated in following a sensational through ball from Jorginho down the right side, in behind the defence.

It's CHANCEs galore for Bayern, who need to take advantage of this moment while Arsenal remember how to communicate and use their legs to do things quicker than walking.

CHANCE! Arsenal are on the ropes! Bayern come again and a long-range effort is stopped by Raya, who parries away the danger.

HUGE CHANCE. A sensational counter-attack from Bayern, who slice through Arsenal like a lightsaber through a bunny rabbit. 

The attack comes down the left as Arsenal scramble and Mazraoui's low cross bobbles agonisingly across the face of goal!

CHANCE. Martinelli tries a sensational move and would surely have wanted three goals if he had scored.

He takes the ball on the left and dances through a lake of alligator snapping turtles before seeing the ball finally run away from his feet as Neuer collects inside the six-yard box...

Arsenal progress and Martinelli plays across the box to Rice, who sees his shot blocked after hesitating for a split second. 

Play is stopped as Musiala goes down after a challenge from Jorginho. This game is yet to really explode, contrary to the scenes from the fans, who are creating a fantastic atmosphere.

CHANCE. A long ball from left to right finds Sané who sees his cross cut out by Gabriel. A scary moment for Arsenal who fell asleep briefly.

OK, we can certainly describe the first fifteen minutes as cagey...

It's Bayern who have probably had the better chances, although nothing has been clear cut as of yet.

Bayern are happy as Larry to sit off Arsenal as their possession stats grow from easy passes around the back line. 

Saka goes up against Guerreiro and races down the wing on the right. He creates a yard of space and chips a cross into the box but it's overhit and flies over stretched necks and longing gazes.

Goretzka is found by Kimmich in behind the Arsenal defence, but the flag is raised.

A half chance for the Gunners as Martinelli finds a yard and whips a curling effort from range towards Neuer's far post. No danger for the experienced shot stopper.

Sané is full to the brim on fun, games, and confidence. Martinelli tries his luck against Mazraoui before the ex-City winger steps in to cool-as-you-like sweep the ball from his feet.

CHANCE. Kane again. The Englishman gets a ball to his feet as he holds off the centre-backs. He takes a touch sideways to open up his swing and cracks an effort on the spin that blazes wide.

Both sides seem to have learnt the lessons from the first leg, and they know that nuclear weaponry is ready to be shot both ways. 

For now, I'd call it cagey, or at least sensible. 

CHANCE. Bayern find an inch on the right with Sané, who slides out wide to Kimmich. The ball is floated in and Kane makes contact, poking the ball past the post. 

Two and a half minutes in and the home side finally get their first idea of what shape the ball is. Musiala darts inside from the left but Jorginho stops him in his tracks as he crosses halfway.

The smoke from the flares and fireworks is dropping over the players like a winter frost. Arsenal are still holding onto the ball - Bayern haven't had a touch and we're over 90 seconds in.

It's Arsenal who start with the ball as Bayern shuffle from right to left.

AND WE'RE OFF!

The home side get us underway at the Allianz Stadium, which is absolutely rocking.

A final reminder of the XIs:

ARSENAL:

GK: Raya

DEF: Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, White

MID: Rice, Jorginho, Ødegaard

ATT: Saka, Havertz, Martinelli

BAYERN:

GK: Neuer

DEF: Mazraoui, De Ligt, Dier, Raphael

MID: Goretzka, Kimmich, Laimer

ATT: Sané, Kane, Musiala

Here come the players!

The Chaaaaaampions League anthem rings around the ground as the fireworks are set off!

Who's the ref?

It's Mr Danny Makkelie, of course!

The 41-year-old referee has overseen a total of 46 UEFA Champions League matches, including knockout Games, such as the return leg of Real Madrid 3-1 PSG in March 2022, in addition of the second leg of this season’s Round of 16 in which Barcelona beat Napoli 3-1.

Tonight should be a piece of Black Forest gâteau for him. 

The players are in the tunnel!

The mascots are getting high-fives from the players who have very serious faces on as they emerge from the dressing rooms and line up in the tunnel!

Not just a semi-final spot on offer

Remember, for qualifying to the final four, each team receives €12.5 million from UEFA for their success. 

The players are in the dressing rooms...

With just a few minutes to go, the players have left the pitch and are in the dressing rooms for the pre-game team talks ahead of kick-off! 

The stadium is full to the brim!

There is not one free seat in the entire Allianz stadium as we race towards kick-off!

75,000 scarves are in the air as the Bayern Munich anthem belts around the bowl!

Guerreiro drafted in for Davies

The Canadian full-back is suspended for today's game for being a very naughty boy in the first leg and getting himself booked.

However, Raphael is no slouch and will provide a threat in attack as well as being a solid option in defensive moments. 

Oh, and watch out for his delivery on dead balls...

Keep an eye out for yellow cards...

In the event of an Arsenal win that saw either Havertz and Rice booked by the referee, they would miss the first leg of the semi-final.

Remember to have your say!

We've got a live poll up on Twitter and you can predict who you think will make the final four of the Champions League. 

If you're feeling lucky, drop a score prediction in the replies and I'll post your thoughts on here!

How are the nerves?

If we take the first leg as a temperature gauge, then it's safe to say that most fans will be shaking with fear at the prospect of having to watch another 90 minutes of football between these two.

The first leg saw them go blow for blow for the full duration and we've got no reason to expect that the same won't happen again tonight. 

Only this time, if they are level after 90 minutes, we will be treated to a lovely serving of extra-time and even the dreaded 'p' word. 

Tonight's substitutes:

FCB: Ulreich, Peretz, Kim, Upamecano, Pavlovic, Zaragoza, Tel, Choupo-Moting, Muller.

ARS: Ramsdale, Hein, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Partey, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Nelson, Trossard, Jesus, Nketiah

Arteta pre-game:

Every game we will try to make the best possible decision regarding the moments that the players are in, the opponent and the scenario.

We will consider it in every fight and it’s not only how to start the game but as well how the game can develop in relation to the game state and that’s what we planned. 

Arsenal's strip for tonight

Here's another look at the third kit that Arsenal will be wearing tonight. It's a sleek kit, and that Champions League starball makes all the difference...

The fans are still arriving!

I'm not sure anyone else can squeak into the stadium!

The noise levels are insanely loud, but I suspect they're going to get even louder as kick-off approaches.

Have a look at this!

While we wait patiently for kick-off at the Allianz, here's a look at how Bayern's squad are performing this season.

Despite their woes, the side still possess a huge threat in front of goal and on nights like these, it's the big moment players who can make difference.

A reminder of the starting XIs:

ARSENAL:

GK: Raya

DEF: Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, White

MID: Rice, Jorginho, Ødegaard

ATT: Saka, Havertz, Martinelli

BAYERN:

GK: Neuer

DEF: Mazraoui, De Ligt, Dier, Raphael

MID: Goretzka, Kimmich, Laimer

ATT: Sané, Kane, Musiala

The warmups have begun!

We're just over half an hour from kick-off at the Allianz Arena and both sides have made their out onto the pitch to a huge noise from the excited crowd!

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Manchester City - Real Madrid live online: score, stats and updates, Champions League

Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti’s teams are level after the first leg. Either Bayern or Arsenal await in the semi-finals. Roddy is over there covering the action.

Here's how Sofascore see the two sides...

They've got Bayern in their classic 4-2-3-1 while Arsenal, as expected, rock up in a 4-3-3 with Rice as the pivot in front of the defence. 

The Gunners arrive at the stadium!

The Germans have also made their way to the Allianz Arena, which means that kick-off is not far away!

Do not fear, Arsenal fans...

Saka and Ødegaard have made the starting XI for Arteta after fears that they would not be able to make it. 

It's safe to say they have been the keystones to Arsenal's attack, and it's a huge boost to see them both in the starting lineup tonight.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Bayern - Arsenal: times, how to watch on TV, stream online | UEFA Champions League

Want to watch the game on TV or on your streaming device? Well, you're in luck. 

Here's all the information you could possibly need on how to get the action from Munich right onto your screen.

Here's confirmation of the Arsenal team

Because I know you like the graphics.

Martinelli, Saka And Ødegaard sit behind Havertz, who starts up top.

If you look closely...

... you can see the location of the 2023/24 UCL final written on the ball. 

 The 2023/24 final will be held at Wembley, in London on Saturday 1 June 2024.

The historic English ground has held a grand total of seven European Cup/Champions League finals and as such is an instantly recognisable venue in modern football.

ARSENAL STARTING XI:

GK: Raya

DEF: White - Gabriel - Saliba - Tomiyasu

MID: Jorginho - Rice - Ødegaard - Martinelli - Saka

ATT: Havertz

Arsenal to wear green third shirt

Is it green? Is it blue? It’s like that dress photo all over again…

Anyway, Adidas call it ‘royal green’ and ‘collegiate blue’ and I think it looks lovely. 

They say it’s “a nod to the archives” and that it “represents a real blast from the Gunners' past”. Who are we to argue with that?

At least it’s nicer than that garish away shirt.

BAYERN XI REVEALED

It's a strong lineup from Tuchel who goes with his strongest possible XI.

Bayern pre-game quotes:

The fans are filling the ground!

This photo was taken ahead of the turnstiles opening, but I can assure you that there are probably around 7,000 fans inside the ground already!

Is the Champions League Bayern's last hope?

Without wanting to sound too dramatic, here comes an incredibly dramatic sentence: this is probably the most important game of Bayern’s season.

The German side suffered heartbreak at the weekend - although it likely came long before then - as Bayer Leverkusen claimed the Bundelsiga title after a thumping win that epitomised their sensational season.

It was the first time in 12 seasons that Bayern hadn’t won the domestic league title and this piles the pressure on them to deliver on the European stage. 

Bayern's last 5 games:

13 Apr: Bayern 2-0 FC Köln - WIN

10 Apr: Arsenal 2-2 Bayern - DRAW

6 Apr: Heidenheim 3-2 Bayern - LOSS

30 Mar: Bayern 0-2 Dortmund - LOSS

16 Mar: Darmstadt 2-5 Bayern - WIN

Arteta pre-game quotes:

What happened last night?

Well, where do I begin? It was almost a fantastic night for Spanish sides but turned out to be one to forget, and quickly.

Barcelona went up against PSG before an Mbappé inspired comeback saw headlines such as “Mbappém kills Barça” splashed across the front pages across the country.

As for Atlético, they had it in their hands against Dortmund in both legs and failed to take advantage of their strong position, wobbling like tipsy giraffes and stumbling as Sabitzer’s strike sent Dortmund through. 

We’d like some more of that drama again today, football gods.

Arsenal's last 5 games:

14 Apr: Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa - LOSS

10 Apr: Arsenal 2-2 Bayern - DRAW

6 Apr: Brighton 0-3 Arsenal - WIN

3 Apr: Arsenal 2-0 Luton - WIN

31 Mar: Man City 0-0 Arsenal - DRAW

We've got a poll up and running!

Have your say and get involved on Twitter - drop a score prediction if you're feeling particularly brave.

Tonight's venue...

Bayern’s Alianz Arena is one of Europe’s most iconic grounds.

Built in 2005 to replace the Munich Olympic Stadium as Bayern’s home ground, the venue holds a total of 75,000 fans and has been one of Europe’s go-to grounds for major events.

It has held everything from Euro and World Cup semi-finals to Champions League finals and truly is one of the must-see stadiums on the continent for any football nerd like you and I.

Who's the ref?

Danny Makkelie is the lucky man with the whistle for the game today. 

The 41-year-old referee is a seasoned pro and has overseen a total of 46 UEFA Champions League matches.

He has plenty of knockout games under his belt, such as the return leg of Real Madrid 3-1 PSG in March 2022, in addition to the second leg of this season’s Round of 16 in which Barcelona beat Napoli 3-1.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Arsenal - Bayern Munich summary: score, goals & highlights | Champions League

The first leg was a fascinating affair with Arsenal showing a side of themselves that we really have not seen all season long. 

They looked shaky at the back and it seemed that the nosebleed territory we are wading through in Europe’s elite competition is having an effect on them. 

Despite a positive start that saw Saka put them ahead with a lovely finish to end a slick passing move, defensive errors were pepperedthroughout and they gifted Bayern two goals. 

The first came from a misplaced pass that saw Gnabry slide under Raya before a cheap penalty was given away that Kane duly slotted home. 

While Arsenal salvaged a semi-positive result, it will be the Germans who go into tonight’s tie with their chins up and their chests out. 

Team news: Arsenal

As for the Gunners, they’re sweating over the fitness of their two stars, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka.

The Norwegian was unable to complete 90 minutes in Arsenal’s loss to Aston VIlla, with Arteta confirming that the team captain “felt something” and “was not able to continue”.

Saka, meanwhile, did complete the full game but was spotted limping after the final whistle.

It’s fair to say the Arsenal nerves are jangling ahead of the starting lineup being confirmed. However, he wasn’t mentioned on Arsenal’s official preview, so that’s a good sign.

Team news: FC Bayern

The big loss for Bayern Munich is Alphonso Davies, who won’t feature for the home side tonight as he picked up a yellow card in the first leg and is suspended as a result.

Bayern struggled to hold on as Arsenal came pouring at them in the opening stages, and Davies epitomised the nerves as he dived in late and got a booking that will keep him out of the game.

To make matters worse, Kingsley Coman is out after picking up a groin injury during the win over Cologne, while Serge Gnabry will also be missing after going off early in the first leg with a hamstring issue.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the AS USA live coverage of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. 

Let’s hope last night’s action didn’t see all the goals eaten up, as we’ve got two bumper ties going on!

On this channel, I’ll be bringing you the fascinating second leg between Arsenal and Bayern, held in Munich, where predicting the winner is anyone’s guess.

It’s Joe here tonight taking through the action as it unfolds in Munich.