Martin Ødegaard has insisted Arsenal do not fear anyone as they prepare to face Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich on Tuesday in the Champions League quarter-final in scintillating form.
An impressive victory at Brighton on Saturday meant Mikel Arteta’s team have won 10 of their 11 Premier League games since the turn of the year and conceded only four goals to reignite their title challenge. Bayern’s hopes of retaining their Bundesliga crown are all but over after they threw away a two-goal lead at Heidenheim to lose 3-2 and the unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen moved to within three points of a first title.
That leaves the Champions League as Bayern’s and Kane’s only chance of winning a trophy despite the England captain having scored 38 goals in his first season since arriving from Tottenham. Ødegaard, who was instrumental in the win against Brighton, is wary of Kane’s threat but the Arsenal captain expects his side to rise to the challenge against the six-time winners, starting in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium.
“I think we should of course respect him but I don’t think we should fear anyone,” he said. “We have to focus on ourselves and the quality we have in the team. He’s a good player. I have played against him a few times and I know the quality he has, especially in the box, and he’s also good in the link-up.”
Asked whether Arsenal could compete with Thomas Tuchel’s side as they prepare for their first appearance at this stage of the competition since 2010, Ødegaard said: “Every game we play there are good challenges. Bayern are a good team with lots of good attacking players and it’s going to be a big night at the Emirates.
“They’ve had some strange results in the league and we have seen that. But if you look at the team and see the quality they have then we know they are a really strong side with really good individual players as well so it’s going to be a tough battle, but we are ready.”
Brighton were unbeaten in 14 home matches before Saturday and Ødegaard was delighted with Arsenal’s performance. “It’s big win. This is a difficult place to come against a good team and it was a very solid performance, so we are happy. As a team we defend the box – in the last minute you saw how we celebrated the action to keep a clean sheet. So there are some good signs there.”
