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Can Arsenal Beat Bayern To the Top of Their Champions League Group?
By Nasra Osman
Death, taxes, and Arsenal facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
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In what has been a rather underwhelming surprise, the two European giants will meet yet again in what is quickly become a regular fixture in the competition. This time though, the clubs will meet in the group stage, which means that Munich will not have the chance to send Arsenal out of the competition as they have done in the knockout stages for the past two consecutive years.
Once again, Arsenal faces the monumental task of taking points off of a team that is expected to contend for the right to be the footballing kings of Europe. Now that the groups have been determined, every Arsenal fan will be asking the same question. Can they possibly beat Munich to the top of Group F?
It is possible, but history certainly does not bode well for the the North Londoners. Even though they have qualified for the knockout phase for 17 consecutive seasons, Arsenal has only been able to top their respective group 8 of those times, and only once in the past five years. For one reason or another, Arsenal have struggled of late to break the glass ceiling that is top spot in their group. Sure, they have come up against very stiff competition in the likes of Borussia Dortmund in recent times, but Munich will almost certainly not make their chances any easier.
On both occasions that the two clubs have clashed, Arsenal struggled to make an impact in the first leg and found themselves facing an uphill battle during the second. They conceded a combined 5 goals in the first two legs, which is unacceptable for a team that is realistically looking to win the tie.
This time around, it is Arsenal’s prerogative to start off on the right foot by taking points off of Munich while having the invaluable advantage of being at home. It will being difficult to beat Munich at their own ground, so this is where Arsenal must take full advantage.
If the Gunners want top their group, they must also take maximum points off of Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos. It may seem as though these two clubs are the odd ones out in this group, but Arsenal must not underestimate their capabilities. Olympiacos have beaten Arsenal in the Champions League group stage in the past. Dinamo Zagreb will be out to prove that they are not there just to make up the numbers.
If Arsenal underestimate these two teams, then they are likely to suffer defeat, Monaco style. Having said all that, one would expect Arsenal’s quality to see them through those matches, with 12 points to show for them at the end.
The only variable that remains is the amount of points Arsenal will be able to take off of Munich. If we’re being realistic here, and factoring in past results, I would deduce that Arsenal will come away with 3 points out of 6 after both games are played.
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Arsenal have the distinguished title of being the only English team to beat Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. There is no reason that they can’t do it again. However, I don’t think they will be able to do it at home, as they always get off to a slow start there. A home defeat, but an away win would give them 15 points, which could be enough to win them the group
As always, Arsenal’s hopes of qualifying at the top of their group will depend on whether or not they take their chances against the weaker teams and play well at home against stiffer competition. Bayern Munich may be mighty, but they certainly not unbeatable. The time has come for Arsenal to show that they can get the job done against Germany’s best team, and now is as good a time as any. If they want to be the best in Europe, they have to beat one of the best teams in the competition.
Next: Where Arsenal Stand After 5 Weeks of EPL