Before the quarter-finals against FC Arsenal, FC Bayern has its back against the wall. The record against English teams and especially against the current opponents speaks in favor of Munich.
The mood in Munich after FC Bayern’s embarrassing 2-3 defeat against 1. FC Heidenheim after a 2-0 lead could hardly be worse. Regarding the performances from the past few weeks, Max Eberl answered the question about reasons why the proud Munich team should have hope of progressing: “At the moment I can’t think of much.” The new sports director doesn’t really believe in a performance boost at the push of a button in the fight for the very last title chance of the season. “To hope that this is now Arsenal, this is now the Champions League and that we tighten up, it just won’t work like that.”
Ruthless honesty from Eberl or a deep dive into the motivational bag of tricks? Grabbing the honor of the seasoned professionals and eliciting a reaction by pillorying the players? If that doesn’t help, there would still be a look back in order to tighten the sagging shoulders of the FC Bayern players a little with a little hope when the first leg of the Champions League takes place on Tuesday (April 9th). -Quarter-finals kick off in the Emirates Stadium (live in the radio report from 9 p.m.).
Whether with Henry, Podolski or Özil – FC Arsenal always failed
It is now well known that FC Bayern traditionally do quite well against Arsenal FC. The Munich team met the North Londoners four times – and they came out on top four times.
Sometimes confidently, like in 2005, when the Munich team – with Felix Magath on the bench and later FC Bayern officials Oliver Kahn in goal and Hasan Salihamidžić as goalscorer – gave the starting group around Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira no chance. Sometimes with tremors like in 2013, when after a commanding first leg win in London, Arsenal suddenly led 2-0 in Munich and only the better goal difference paved the way to the eventual title. Or with ruthless dominance like in 2017, when after two games there was a goal difference of 10:2 in favor of FCB. The Munich team are Arsenal FC’s feared opponents.
And in general, FC Bayern also has a positive record against English teams when it reached the knockout phase of the Champions League and the National Championship Cup. The Munich team advanced to the next round eight times against English teams – four times against Arsenal FC, three times against Manchester United and once against Chelsea FC. The Blues, Liverpool FC (twice) and Manchester City won four times in total.
1999 and 2012: Painful finals for FC Bayern
Of course, the final matches are a special exception. Because that’s where it usually became painful for FC Bayern – and really. In the 1981/82 final, a team led by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Paul Breitner, considered invincible in European finals, set out to win their 13th consecutive European final. Aston Villa surprisingly put an end to this series.
The defeats against Manchester United in 1999 and the lost final at home against Chelsea FC in 2012 are much more vividly remembered in the club. Even the victory in the 1975 European Cup against Leeds United cannot really improve Munich’s final record against English teams.
Will Arsenal be the final for Tuchel?
But the final balance doesn’t matter for the duel against Arsenal on Tuesday. Because FC Bayern is currently very far away from a final. At most, this quarter-final first leg could be a final for Thomas Tuchel. Will looking at the balance sheet breathe new life into him and his unsettled team? Or Eberl’s cabin sermon? In the current situation, FC Bayern can use any support. After all, the game against the Premier League leaders will already be challenging enough tactically and in terms of play.
Source: BR24Sport April 8, 2024 – 6:30 p.m