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Arsenal needed a impressive display and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their two-goal lead and all three points to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into tricky waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

Last season, a inspiring fightback from 2-1 down to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their opening 5-2 loss to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the championship match. It represented a pivotal moment in their season, demonstrating a resilience that carried them to a second Champions League title. Their breakdown here demonstrated they are yet to recapture the fighting spirit that led to victory in May.

Travelling Supporters 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 upper level at the Allianz Arena, but still created an atmosphere, battling against the vocal local supporters of over 15,000 that brought the noise in the stands below.

Building on Recent Form

Daphne van Domselaar had stated her team had "showed everything we had" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "deeply disappointed" by the result against the league leaders, with controversial officiating bearing the brunt of those frustrations.

The aim, though, was to channel the momentum of that impressive second-half display to Germany with them. Arsenal had started slowly against Chelsea. In Munich they executed their strategy and there was no repetition of that sluggish beginning.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They started aggressively. The England forward was especially lively and created difficulties for the Bayern defender Franziska Kett and the midfielder Momoko Tanikawa on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was the forward's attempt that ensured Arsenal took the lead in the fifth minute, the England forward's shot strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, Maria Luisa Grohs. The midfielder was there to nod the ball back over the goalkeeper and in.

Doubling the Lead

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's insistence on building from defense had been risky and was exploited. Mead cut out Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to the Swedish striker, who poked it towards Mariona Caldentey on the edge of the box. The mercurial midfielder took a control to alleviate pressure from Tanikawa before lashing past the goalkeeper.

After Break Turnaround

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. José Barcala turned to his bench to try to get his team back into the game: the ex-London striker Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 took the game from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Alara Sehitler followed shortly. The final substitute would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and collecting from German winger before guiding the ball past the Arsenal keeper.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the driving seat after the deficit was reduced, the hosts sensing they could get a result from the game. The substitute delivered, clipping 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 their European matches, they have a major challenge ahead.