Kimmich goal ends Gunners' Champions League dream in Munich
GAME, SET, MATCH: Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich celebrates.
BITTERLY disappointing, but no shame in this Champions League exit for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. They were the better team for large periods of both ties, particularly the first half of this second leg in Munich, but were ultimately undone by a second-half Joshua Kimmich header.
Billed as the match from which Arteta and his young side would emerge as history makers, set to challenge the best at home and abroad for years to come, or bottle jobs without the nerve to convert their undoubted hot talent into cold steel victories on the biggest stages, it turned out to be neither.
Don’t believe the hype is the lesson there. What we did learn was that this performance from Arteta and his players was another sign that they are very much on their way to belonging at this level again. They are not quite elite winners, though.
It has taken many years to get over the hangover of Arsene Wenger’s breakthrough years (next month is the 20th anniversary of his unbeatable Invincibles) , but they are finally back in the conversation for both the Premier League title and the biggest knock out competition in club football.
Yes, they are largely young and inexperienced, like their manager, but whether or not they claim a trophy this season, they are better than they were this time last year. This narrative could change, of course, if they return to Premier League competition with another defeat, away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday night, but that title race autopsy is for another day.
Back in Europe, Bayern raised their game and played very well in the first leg last week and this match too. Outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel’s tactics were spot on and Arsenal’s seemed surprised the Germans were not the second-rate rubbish some had billed them as. Being second in the Bundesliga and not winning the title had not made them a bad side after all.
The latter stages of the European Cup and Champions League is very match in Bayern’s DNA. While Arsenal were hoping to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 15 years, this was Bayern’s fourth consecutive quarter-final. They won the trophy for the sixth time in 2020.
And they had the walk of winners from the outset. Long-time Arsenal nemesis Harry Kane fired two early warning shots wide of the target in a cagey opening dominated by neither side. Gabriel Martinelli had the first effort for an Arsenal side showing no sign of nerves in front of the 71,011 cauldron of noise and smoke from the pre-match fireworks and flares. The ‘singing end’ of the Allianz arena was also a hot bed for social comment as supporters unveiled a huge banner proclaiming ‘ “We don’t like you either. Exclude UEFA. Get out of our stadium.”
Arteta cannot be accused of playing safe in his team selection, recalling Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu for his first start in 138 days at left-back. In front of him there was young Brazil speed merchant Martinelli, chosen ahead of his senior fellow countryman Gabriel Jesus.
Tuchel was without suspended Alphonso Davies and injured duo Kingsley Coman and former Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry, predicted Arsenal would focus their attacks down the Bayern left, but Arteta seemed to think he could exploit a weakness on the right. Both sides needed a win, but Arsenal did all the early pressing in an attempt to force the issue and play the match at their pace.
That worked to an extent, but Bayern were very good at breaking through the press with Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala’s pace a regular worry for the Arsenal defence. It took a full stretch David Raya save to keep things level after another raid forward by Raphael Guerreiro and Musiala.
Manuel Neuer made an even better stop from a deflected Martin Odegaard shot soon after. Arsenal were back in it and the stadium was marginally quieter. When Martinelli should and could have scored moments later there was a brief nervous hush.
Arsenal shaded the first half but any thoughts of further domination after the break were banished when Leon Goretzka flicked a header against a post a minute into the second half.
High octane, high tension and high drama. No wonder Arteta said pre-match that these are the matches players live to be involved in His players, however, never really recovered from that brush with the woodwork and were still on the back foot after 63 minutes when Raya flapped at a Leroy Sane cross and the ball fell invitingly to Leon Goretzka who sent the ball back into the box for Kimmich to head home.
There was time for a comeback but bar a couple of late scrambles little signs it would happen and ultimately the best team went through
Neuer 7, Kimmich 7, De Ligt 7, Dier 6, Mazraoui 6, (Kim 76) Laimer 6, Goretzka 7, Musiala 7, Sane 7 (Upamecano, 88), Guerreiro 7, Kane 6.
Peretz, Ulreich, Choupo-Moting, Zaragoza, Muller, Tel, Pavlovic.
Raya 5, White 6, Saliba 7, Gabriel 6, Tomiyasu 7 (Nketiah 87), Jorginho 6 (Jesus 67), Rice 7, Odegaard 7, Saka 6, Martinelli 7 (Trossard 67), Havertz 6.
Ramsdale, Hein, Partey, Kiwior, Elneny, Zinchenko, Nelson, Vieira, Smith Rowe
Danny Makkelie (Ned) 5
71,011
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