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Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: A History Between The Clubs
By Josh Sippie
Up until recently, Arsenal and Bayern Munich were strangers. I was trying to come up with a terrible analogy for how foreign they were to each other and it involved lions and tigers, but I reckon I will just let it be. Let’s just stick with that they were strangers.
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That being said, the two have developed a pretty extensive history lately. They visit each other at least twice a year, like in-laws. Overall, Arsenal’s record against the German giants is nothing short of impressive. Three wins, two draws and four losses. Not shabby by any means.
The teams first met in 2000 at Highbury. In the second group stage of the Champion’s League, Arsenal set up camp with Bayern Munich. The first leg ended in disappointing fashion despite the draw. Thierry Henry scored in the 4th minute to kick things off and there it would remain for the first half of action. The second half was greeted by a Kanu goal in the 55th minute to give the Gunners a two goal cushion, but in would-be-typical Arsenal fashion, Bayern Munich scored in the 56th and ten minutes later to draw level.
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The second leg was even less fortuitous for the Gunners, as they traveled to Bayern Munich’s home at the time, Olympiastadion. In what turned into a defensive battle, Bayern scored in the 10th minute and the guns fell silent after that, with the match finishing 1-0.
The two sides would not meet again until 2005 in the round of 16, first leg. The first leg took place in Germany, where Munich won very handily 3-1. The game appeared certain to end 3-0 but Kolo Toure squeezed one out in the 88th minute.
The return to Highbury was a solid effort from the Gunners. They managed to finally break through with who else but Thierry Henry in the 66th minute but that would be all they would get. In what would become a tradition down the road, Arsenal was eliminated by Bayern Munich.
The history really started to pick up in 2013. Arsenal had the fortune yet against of drawing Bayern Munich in the round of 16 and the first leg went less than kindly. Bayern Munich won in the Emirates by a tally of 3-1. Lukas Podolski scored a marvelous goal that would have made all the difference later on, had Arsenal prevented the third and clinching goal from the Germans.
Arsenal FC
Going into the Allianz in the return leg, no one gave Arsenal a chance. But Arsenal showed tremendous grit to put up two goals and face defeat only at the hands of the away goal rule. However, Arsenal did earn the prestigious honor of being the only English team to ever go into Germany and beat Bayern Munich.
Not wanting to let the rivalry die before it got started, Arsenal bribed someone in charge to get drawn against Bayern Munich yet again in 2014. This time, the results were quite similar. Arsenal lost the initial match-up at home by a score of 2-0. On the return, the Gunners gritted out an impressive 1-1 draw but fell short in the end.
And now, in 2015, the two will not be facing off in the round of 16 because they are fighting it out in the same group.
Bayern Munich traveled to North London for match day three, a match that Arsenal won convincingly at 2-0, despite playing on the back foot all day.
With a win today, Arsenal can draw even on wins and losses against Bayern Munich. What a stat that would be.