Arsenal sent a resonant message to their Champions League rivals with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. The Gunners defeated the German giants at the Emirates Stadium and are now top of the league standings with a perfect record after five games.
Mikel Arteta’s side broke the deadlock in the first half with Julian Timber’s header from a corner kick, adding to their impressive record of set-piece goals. Bayern equalized 10 minutes later with a goal from Lennart Karl, but Arsenal improved in the second half. After a series of chances, Noni Mdueke finally restored the advantage for Arteta’s side with 20 minutes remaining. Gabriel Martinelli then rounded off the winning moment by beating Manuel Neuer just past the halfway line and slotting the ball into an unguarded net.
The result enabled the Gunners to erase memories of their past setback against Bayern as the Premier League pacesetters declare their Champions League eligibility. The German press evaluated Arsenal’s performance against Bayern as follows:
Spiegel
Der Spiegel’s analysis of the match captured the wider significance of the result: “Arsenal are number one in Europe. Bayern are number one in Germany.” It was Bayern’s first loss in 19 games and highlighted Arsenal’s great accomplishments.
Vincent Kompany’s side have come under fire for a lackluster attacking front, made worse by Neuer’s recent blunders during a period of uncertainty. “Manuel Neuer, it’s not 2014 anymore, it’s 2025,” Der Spiegel wrote after Martinelli’s final shot put the 39-year-old behind him.
The German publication noted that it awarded Arsenal’s set-piece specialist Nicola Jobar the Man of the Match award. The same report stated that Arsenal were dangerous from every corner and free-kick, and described Bayern as a “panicked mess”.
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Bild newspaper hailed Arsenal as “perhaps the best football team in Europe at the moment” following their performance against Bayern Munich. Arteta’s side have been considered Bayern’s toughest opponents so far this season, but the publication has revealed grounds for hope after Bayern’s unbeaten run ended.
Vincent Kompany’s team have been told to “learn the right lessons from the pain”. However, the Bild newspaper refused to place the blame solely on Neuer’s mistakes for the defeat.
In the match report, it felt like Bayern did not face a real test before facing Arsenal. As a result, the German champions “looked unstable and vulnerable once again to Arsenal’s counter-attacking machine”.
The publication also highlighted set-pieces as a defensive weakness that Kompany must address. However, it suggests that defeat could ultimately be a positive for Bayern, who exposed their weaknesses against the Gunners.
Süddeutsche Zeitung
Germany’s Suddeutsche Zeitung has declared Arsenal to be favorites for Champions League glory. “Tactical flexibility, perfect set-pieces and Declan Rice. The match against Bayern Munich will show why Arsenal are title contenders at home and abroad this season,” the match report begins.
The Gunners’ ability to find the back of the net in a variety of ways was praised in the magazine, with comparisons drawn to Bayern. Arsenal was described as “the virtual antithesis of Bayern Munich’s monolithic strategy under Kompany”.
Süddeutsche Zeitung summarized foreign media reports and noted that the rest of Europe was celebrating the end of Bayern’s unbeaten run. Citing a report from Spain’s AS, Arsenal have been branded the “terror of Europe”.
run
The German publication “Ran” was ready to award Arsenal as the best team in Europe following the match against Bayern. After a tense first half, the Gunners showed their quality after the interval and the gulf between the two teams became more apparent as the game progressed.
The match report said: “Indeed, at least for now, the question of who is the best team in Europe is crystal clear. Arsenal were at least slightly better, and perhaps significantly better, in every respect.”
