Spanish coach Mikel Arteta of English club Arsenal believes his team, aiming for a major double, is ready to take revenge on German side Bayern Munich, who will be visiting the Premier League leaders on Tuesday for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Arsenal looks to carry the momentum of leading the Premier League, where they last won a title in 2004, into European competition, aiming to surpass their first appearance in the quarterfinals since 2010.
Arsenal has earned its position at the top of the Premier League, although they are leading only on goal difference over Liverpool and by a point ahead of defending champions Manchester City with seven matches remaining, having won 10 of their 11 Premier League games in 2024. However, Arteta's focus will shift to the Champions League this week, as Arsenal aims to overcome nearly two decades of disappointments against Bayern, who has dominated their last three meetings with a consistent 5-1 scoreline.
Arsenal was eliminated from the Champions League by the Bavarian club in the round of 16 in 2017, 2014, 2013, and 2005. While Arteta was not responsible for any of those failures against the German giant, he was a player for Arsenal during their losses in 2013 and 2014 against the six-time European champions. Arsenal's strong local form indicates they are capable of turning the tide this time, especially as Bayern arrives at the Emirates Stadium not in peak condition, trailing 16 points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga after a disappointing loss to Heidenheim (2-3) on Saturday.
Even the presence of Englishman Harry Kane, who scored 14 goals in North London derbies against Arsenal while playing for fierce rivals Tottenham, may not be enough to restore Bayern's dominance over the "Gunners." The negative atmosphere at "Allianz Arena" sharply contrasts with the positivity surrounding Arteta’s vibrant young team.
"We just need to keep doing what we are doing," Arteta emphasized in his mission to allow his players the freedom to express themselves within a tactical framework, leading to remarkable results for a club that was in decline before his appointment in 2019. After the victory against Brighton on Saturday in the league, Arteta stated, "We are in a really good moment. We have a team that is fit, with really good energy and a lot of confidence both individually and collectively. They are performing really well, and we are winning a lot of matches. We just need to keep doing what we are doing."
Arsenal has only reached the Champions League final once, losing to Barcelona in 2006. Returning to the premier continental competition for the first time since 2017, Arsenal seeks to make up for lost time this season. The London club topped its group in the first round, outperforming French Lens, Dutch Eindhoven, and Spanish Sevilla, and then survived penalties against Portuguese Porto in the round of 16, securing a place in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010 when they were eliminated by Barcelona.
Arsenal has not reached the semifinals since 2009, when they were knocked out by local rivals Manchester United, but the prevailing mood within Arteta’s team enhances their chances of at least returning to the last four. No one can summarize Arteta's ability to improve players better than German Kai Havertz, who has gradually become an indispensable part of the team.
Havertz's confidence was at a low point when he transferred from rivals Chelsea last year after a turbulent period at Stamford Bridge. The German international had a slow start to his Arsenal career, recording only one goal and one assist in his first 19 matches across all competitions. However, the 24-year-old has finally found his footing, scoring five goals and providing four assists in his last seven Premier League matches, including the second goal in the 3-0 win over Brighton over the weekend and assisting the third goal scored by Belgian Leandro Trossard.
Arteta addressed this, saying, "He has definitely had a big impact on the team. His overall performance has been very good, and now his numbers regarding goal contributions are really high," adding, "Kai is playing smoothly right now and feels really comfortable. He needs to maintain this level." He continued: "We have given him confidence, and we hope we have provided him with the love he needs. He is appreciated by the other players and staff at the club, and now he is certainly receiving that from our fans."
