It was a night when Bayern Munich lived up to their assertions that, when the Champions League comes around, they are an altogether different beast. Perhaps the obituaries were written too quickly for a troubled superpower that, on this evidence, retains the muscle memory of serial winners. They are two games from visiting Wembley in search of a seventh continental title and the manner in which a depleted side put the dampeners on Arsenal suggests Thomas Tuchel may yet sign off from his fleeting tenure by making an irresistible point.
This was, nonetheless, a missed opportunity for Mikel Arteta and his players. Arsenal had a clear foothold in the game after producing an accomplished first half but were outplayed after the interval and left feeling distinctly flat. The fact is they departed with a whimper and it was impossible to shake the sense that, ultimately, they did not quite back themselves enough. Bukayo Saka’s unwise decision not to shoot when presented with a deliciously located free-kick deep into added time was emblematic of the gulf in clarity between these sides.
