Football - Champions League Matchpack: Arsenal v Bayern Munich Team news, quotes, stats and odds ahead of the Champions League clash between Arsenal and Bayern Munich at the Emirates. TEAM NEWS Midfielder Mikel Arteta is suspended and will miss out. Tomas Rosicky replaces Arteta in the matchday squad which resembles that which beat Liverpool in the FA Cup on Sunday, with Wojciech Szczesny likely to return in goal in place of Lukasz Fabianski. Jack Wilshere (stiff back), Santi Cazorla (ill), Kieran Gibbs (muscular problem), Bacary Sagna (tired) and Olivier Giroud (tired) are poised to return to the starting XI after taking places on the bench against Liverpool. Bayern are without the inspirational Franck Ribery as he has undergone surgery on a buttock problem. Xherdan Shqiri could have been a replacement but misses out with a thigh problem. However, Bayern are strengthened by the return of Bastian Schweinsteiger from an ankle injury and Daniel van Buyten is also fit. MANAGER QUOTES Arsene Wenger: We are in much better mental shape today than we were one year ago. We lost against Blackburn at home in the FA Cup and it was a big disappointment for us. This time we won against Liverpool. We have a strong team spirit, a strong desire to do well and a united team. I believe we had always these kind of qualities but we had not always the belief. The belief is built by the results. On that front we are stronger, of course. We believe we can do it, but thats down to the quality of our performance tomorrow. Pep Guardiola: Its my third time here to play Arsenal. Ive never won here and Ive learned that you cant dominate for 90 minutes against Arsenal. You can play good and dominate for half the game perhaps, or for 70 minutes, but for 90 minutes its impossible. With the quality of players Arsenal have we know they can cause [us] a problem, but well try to play well, as best we possibly can. We dont think too much about the second leg – we must concentrate on what we have to do tomorrow and I hope it goes well. MATCH FACTS This is the third time that Arsenal and Bayern Munich are meeting in the last 16 of the Champions League. The Bavarian club have progressed both times (2004/05 and 2012/13). Arsenal have lost their last three home games against German clubs in the Champions League (v Schalke and Bayern Munich last season, v Borussia Dortmund this season). Bayern Munich have won their last two away games against English teams in the Champions League, both with a 3-1 scoreline (against Arsenal and Manchester City). Arsenal are the only team, alongside Real Madrid, to have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League in every season since the new format in 2003/04. Arsenal have lost only three of their 18 Champions League knockout games at home (10 wins, 5 draws): against Chelsea in 2003/04 (quarter-finals), Manchester Utd in 2008/09 (semi-finals) and Bayern Munich in 2012/13 (last 16). Bayern Munich have reached the final of the Champions League in three of the last four campaigns. They are the defending champions after last season’s win against Borussia Dortmund. Arsenal are the last team to keep a clean sheet against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, when the Gunners won 2-0 at the Allianz Arena on 13 March 2013. Bayern Munich have won their last five Champions League games in the knockout stages (13 goals for, 1 against). The Bavarians have also won their last seven Champions League games played outside the Allianz Arena. Arsenal have scored eight goals in the Champions League this season, all from open play and inside the box. Bayern Munich have had the most shots on target in the Champions League this season: 54 (that’s 35 more than Arsenal with 19). Arsenal’s last four Champions League home goals have been scored by Olivier Giroud (2) and Jack Wilshere (2). Arjen Robben has scored six goals and delivered four assists in his last seven Champions League games.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 11:45:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015