Bayern Munich has brought nightmares to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League over the past decade. But now, the wind seems to be shifting.
Midfielder Martin Odegaard showed no arrogance when he stated, “Arsenal don’t fear any Bayern Munich player” in the press conference before the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have undergone a transformation compared to the time when they were led by Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal is in a very different form from Bayern Munich
Arsenal’s difference
Arsenal is currently the leading team in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season, a strong contender for the title. They have also suffered the fewest defeats in the top-tier English competition after 31 rounds (24 goals conceded).
On the night at the Emirates Stadium in London at 2 a.m. on April 10th (Hanoi time), Arsenal soared high, brimming with confidence, unleashing a nightmare upon Bayern, the giant heavily wounded by consecutive failures in the domestic league.
Before the epic clash between Arsenal and Bayern, the two prideful entities of English and German football, journalist Michael Cox surprisingly mentioned a name in his analysis on The Athletic. That name is Laurent Koscielny.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are said to be different and will help Arsenal defeat Bayern Munich.
The English tactical analyst believes that Koscielny played a crucial role in the last three encounters between Arsenal and Bayern in the Champions League. In those matches, the Gunners were completely overwhelmed, losing with a scoreline of 1-5.
The writer emphasizes that Arsenal’s humiliating defeat against the German side was largely due to Koscielny either not playing or not being able to complete the match for some reason. Without the French center-back, the Gunners appeared fragile and vulnerable.
Even the former manager Wenger – who witnessed Arsenal being thrashed by Bayern – remarked that “his team’s defense was extremely poor” and “wouldn’t go anywhere if the defense was so shambolic”.
The current Arsenal lineup no longer features Koscielny, but two players have emerged as significant upgrades for the club. The difference-maker that alleviates Arsenal’s fear of the German giants.
The current and past disparities of Arsenal call the names of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, the defensive duo who have erected a solid defensive wall in front of their goal. The statistics speak for themselves.
In the last four matches across all competitions, Arsenal has kept clean sheets. Even the mighty Manchester City couldn’t breach the Gunners’ steel defense.
At the Etihad on March 31st, Saliba and Magalhaes silenced Erling Haaland, who plays as one of the best strikers in the world today.
Just like before, Arsenal crushed Newcastle 4-1. Notably, “The Magpies” ranked fifth in terms of goals scored in the Premier League so far (65). In all aspects, Newcastle is among the strongest attacking teams in England.
However, in the encounter with Arsenal, Newcastle failed to register a shot in the first 45 minutes. When facing Manchester City, the Gunners neutralized Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, and Phil Foden, players with remarkable goal-scoring abilities. These facts further reinforce the idea that Arsenal’s training possesses a sturdy defensive line, with Saliba and Magalhaes becoming vital pillars.
Arsenal did not tremble against Bayern
Sir Alex Ferguson once declared, “Attacking wins you games, but defending wins you titles.” Saliba’s stability enables Arsenal to confidently push forward without worrying about being exposed on the flanks. The French defender also coordinates smoothly with Magalhaes, forming an impregnable shield that is not easily pierced.
Saliba and Magalhaes’ strength lies in their proactive defensive capabilities. They often closely mark opposing forwards and seek to press the ball in front of them. Both possess physical prowess, agility, and intelligence to confidently defend in one-on-one situations, allowing the eight surrounding defenders to wholeheartedly advance and pressurize the opponents.
More importantly, Saliba and Magalhaes are not the reckless type of defenders. In some cases, defenders who are too eager to regain possession often commit fouls against opponents. However, statistics from WhoScored indicate that Saliba and Magalhaes commit less than one foul on average per game. To compare, Ruben Dias of Manchester City or Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool both average more than one foul per game.
Speaking about Saliba and Magalhaes, Coach Mikel Arteta pointed out the difference between the two players lies in their understanding of the game. “Building relationships and bonding is the strength of Saliba and Magalhaes. That cannot be measured. However, there exists something tangible between them, and it is very important,” emphasized the Spanish strategist.
Bayern is in turmoil. They come to the Emirates tonight with a shameful streak of two consecutive losses in the Bundesliga, a competition where Thomas Tuchel’s men are on the verge of losing the championship to Bayer Leverkusen. The position of the German team is at an all-time low. A strange occurrence for fans.
This further adds confidence to Arsenal’s belief that they will overcome the nightmare every time they face a Bundesliga representative in the UEFA Champions League in recent years. The Emirates Stadium in London could become the turning point for the Gunners.
Even though Bayern still has Harry Kane, who is in top form in their lineup, Arsenal is not intimidated, as midfielder Odegaard boldly declared. All because the English representative has Saliba and Magalhaes, the defensive duo bringing top-class football in defense.