3 positives & negatives from Arsenal drawing Bayern Munich in Champions League quarter-finals

Arsenal supporters woke up on Friday morning with a great sense of anticipation. The Champions League quarter-final draw beckoned, with every remaining club's route to Wembley being mapped out.

A lack of round of 16 upsets meant the Gunners were bereft of so-called 'easy' draws, and UEFA's string-pullers - John Obi Mikel, in this case - paired Arsenal, who were first out of the hat, with Bayern Munich.

Dread it, run from it, the Bavarians arrive all the same.

Bayern knocked Arsenal out of this competition three times in the round of 16 between 2013 and 2017. The last three meetings between the two clubs have ended in 5-1 victories for the ruthless Germans. The Gunners' recent history in this fixture is bleak, but there's reason for optimism heading into the club's first Champions League quarter-final tie since 2010.

A potential tie against Real Madrid or Manchester City in the last four can be discussed at a later date. Bayern must be bypassed first.

3 positives & negatives from Arsenal drawing Bayern Munich in Champions League quarter-finals

Here are the positives and negatives from Friday's Champions League draw.

Positive #1: A Bayern unlike previous Bayerns

The Bayern teams of yesteryear were comfortably superior to the late iterations of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. While Die Roten were romping to league title after league title with their litany of superstars across the board, a period of dysfunction and toxicity was beginning to cloud over north London.

Things are different now, and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal will back themselves to get at Thomas Tuchel's men.

This is a Bayern side that should've surrendered their Bundesliga crown last season, but surely will this time around. Bayer Leverkusen are streaking clear at the summit, with their head-to-head duel in February depicting a gulf in quality.

Tuchel's side have failed to deliver in key moments and often been bereft of the ruthless cohesion which defined imperious Bayern outfits of the recent past. The lack of an enforcer in midfield has hindered their ability to defend transitions, with their high line being breached far more often than Tuchel plans it to be. Manuel Neuer also hasn't found top gear since returning to the fold.

Against a side of Arsenal's slickness and speed in possession, Bayern could struggle. I mean, they've got Eric bloody Dier leading their backline, for crying out loud.

Negative #1: Bayern's chance to rest players

By the time these fixtures roll around, the Bundesliga title is set to be out of Bayern's grasp following 12 tyrannical years at the league's summit.

Leverkusen's lead at the top is ten points, and they've shown no sign of giving Bayern, who have looked better in recent outings, a sniff.

Thus, with the league gone, Tuchel is set to focus all his energy on securing the second Champions League title of his managerial career. The Bayern boss will have the luxury to rest and rotate in and around the two legs with Arsenal. Arteta, on the contrary, won't have such freedom with the Gunners in the middle of a fiercely contested three-horse Premier League title race.

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