Bayern Munich vs Arsenal: Preview, TV channel info, Team News, Prediction, Betting odds

Do or die. That is the scenario for Arsene Wenger as his side travel to Munich to meet German power-houses Bayern Munich for the second time in a fortnight. Arsenal’s home tie saw them pull off a defensive masterclass to emerge victors 2-0, thanks to a rare error by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and the electric pace of Hector Bellerin to outrun David Alaba in stoppage time to seal the three points.

Despite this confidence boosting victory, Arsenal remain bottom of the group and are wary of the consequences of going down to the 2013 Champions at the Allianz Arena. Their unforgivable defeats to Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb have resigned them to having to achieve a seemingly impossible double over Pep Guardiola’s side to keep their chances of coming out of the group. They accomplished the first half of the mission, but will they come up trumps again on Wednesday?

Kick-Off and Live Telecast

Channel: Ten Action

Live Stream: www.tensports.com/live (Paid)

Kick-Off and Time: Thursday, 5th November 2015 – 0115 IST [ 1945 BST (4th November) ]

Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich

Team news

Bayern Munich

The defending Bundesliga champions will be without long-term absentees Franck Ribery and Mario Gotze, whereas centre-backs Mehdi Benatia and Holger Badstuber and left-back Juan Bernat are all doubtful coming into Wednesday’s high-profile fixture.

Arsenal

Bayern Munich – David Alaba in particular – will be relieved at the news that Hector Bellerin will miss his side’s trip to Germany due to a groin injury. Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all been ruled out as well. Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere remain long-term absentees from Arsene Wenger’s squad.

Team Form

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich dropped their first points of the Bundesliga season in a 0-0 stalemate away to Eintracht Frankfurt, where striker Robert Lewandowski failed to unlock a stubborn Frankfurt defence. He should be expecting more of the same on Wednesday, as Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker have been extremely organised and assured at the back for the Gunners thus far. Bayern will have to keep piling the pressure with some purposeful intent as the game progresses to test the Arsenal back 4 and eventually unlock them.

Oh, and there is Petr Cech to beat too. Bayern fans, brace yourselves for yet another frustrating night against the London club.

Last 5 games : D-W-W-L-W (Most Recent: Eintracht Frankfurt 0-0 Bayern Munich)

Arsenal

Barring a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday – where Arsene Wenger rested a number of key players – the Gunners’ form has been simply brilliant in the last month or so. Demolitions of Manchester United and Swansea, topped up by the defeat of Bayern sums up a perfect October for the Emirates faithful.

It would be hard to pick out any one player as the pivotal reason for their recent run of form, as almost every member of the team has played their part. Mesut Ozil’s incredible vision, Olivier Giroud’s finishing, Alexis Sanchez’s work ethic and Francis Coquelin’s vital tackles only tell us a part of the story.

Whether they can maintain the same level of performance in Munich remains a huge doubt. Plagued by injuries, coupled by the return of some of Bayern Munich’s injured players – the task of dethroning the German champions could not have gotten any harder for Wenger’s men, that too away from their own fans.

One can expect them to employ the same tactics on Wednesday – soak up all the Bayern pressure, while waiting for the perfect opportunity to catch them on the counter. Pep Guardiola would have readied his team to be wary of that based on the happenings at the Emirates Stadium.

With the pace of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also betraying them at the moment, will it be second time lucky for Arsenal? Highly doubtful.

Last 5 games: W-L-W-W-W (Most Recent: Swansea City 0-3 Arsenal)

Probable Starting Line-Ups

Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Martinez, Alaba; Alonso, Vidal; Robben, Muller, Costa; Lewandowski

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Monreal, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Debuchy; Coquelin, Cazorla; Sanchez, Ozil, Campbell; Giroud

Key Battle

Mathieu Debuchy vs Douglas Costa

If Arsenal had a weak-link Bayern can exploit, it is most definitely the absence of first-choice right-back Hector Bellerin. Left-winger Douglas Costa must take advantage of the absence of the 20-year old and put the not-so-quick Mathieu Debuchy through a tough night at the Allianz Arena with his ultra-quick feet and decision making while approaching the bye-line.

Key Stats

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 2 visits to the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich (W1, D1), both times in the Round of 16 of the competition.
Bayern Munich have won their last 7 home Champions League games, keeping 5 clean sheets and conceding just thrice in that run
Arsenal have lost just once in their last 7 games away from home to German opposition. (W3, D3). Their sole defeat came against Borussia Dortmund (2-0) in September 2014.
Bayern have scored 21 goals in their last 4 Champions League ties at the Allianz Arena (5.25 per game).
Arsenal have already conceded thrice from a corner in this season’s Champions League, the highest in the competition thus far.

Prediction

Unlike at the Emirates, Bayern’s pressure is expected to reap some rewards in front of their own fans with a goal against some resilient defending. With Hector Bellerin, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all absent, it’s difficult to see where Arsenal’s swiftness on the break will come from.

Bayern Munich usually respond positively to an away defeat, and although one does not expect them to run riot, one has a feeling they will perform well enough to earn a victory by the odd goal.

Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal

Betting Odds (bet365)

Bayern Munich: 4/9

Draw: 4/1

Arsenal: 13/2