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Arsenal needed a strong display and favorable result against a European powerhouse, but Renée Slegers’s side surrendered their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich with little resistance, casting their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Fortunes from Last Season

Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a narrow win over Bayern in their last group stage match made up for their opening 5-2 loss to the German opponents and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the final. It marked a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that propelled them to a second Champions League title. Their collapse here showed they are yet to recapture the spirit that ensured success in May.

Fan Support in Munich

More than 400 Arsenal fans had traveled to Munich, many gathering at the Hofbräuhaus before the game for their pre-match meet-up. They were placed in a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, competing with the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

The Arsenal goalkeeper had stated her team had "given their all" in their hard-fought tie with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the result against the WSL champions, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The aim, though, was to take the energy of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had begun poorly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repetition of that slow start.

Strong Start for Visitors

They opened on the front foot. The England forward was especially lively and caused problems for the Bayern full-back Franziska Kett and the central player Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing proved effective.

It was the forward's attempt that gave Arsenal the advantage in the fifth minute, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived in the 23rd minute. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been risky and was capitalized on. The winger cut out the defender's wayward ball and laid off to Stina Blackstenius, who directed it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a touch to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before driving past the goalkeeper.

Second Half Collapse

The energy dropped a little in the second half. José Barcala made substitutions to try to bring his side into the game: the ex-London striker Danish international, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Italian midfielder and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The last of these would cause problems first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Complete Turnaround

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, floating a cross in from the edge of the area to level. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and six minutes later they had the lead, Glodis Viggosdottir scoring at the front post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a sluggish end that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from three Champions League games, they have a big job ahead.