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Arsenal required a strong display and favorable result against a continental giant, but Renée Slegers’s side relinquished their 2-0 advantage and the victory to Bayern Munich far too easily, plunging their Champions League defence into difficult waters.

Contrasting Outcomes from Previous Campaign

In the previous campaign, a battling comeback from a goal behind to a 3-2 victory over Bayern in their last group stage match avenged their heavy defeat to the Bavarian side and kickstarted their remarkable journey to the championship match. It marked 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 spirit that led to victory 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 traditional gathering. They were shoved into a section of the middle tier at the Allianz Arena, but still made their voices heard, battling against the impressive home crowd of over 15,000 that made their presence felt in the stands below.

Learning from Previous Performance

Daphne van Domselaar had said her team had "given their all" in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. They were "devastated" by the outcome against the league leaders, with questionable refereeing decisions bearing the brunt of those disappointments.

The goal, 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 slow start.

Strong Start for Arsenal

They opened on the front foot. Beth Mead was particularly energetic and created difficulties for the Bayern defender their left-back and the midfielder Japanese international on the right as Arsenal's high and aggressive pressing reaped its rewards.

It was Mead's effort that gave Arsenal the advantage in the early stages, the striker's effort strangely pushed away by the Bayern goalkeeper, the German shot-stopper. The midfielder was there to head it back over the goalkeeper and in.

Extending the Advantage

Arsenal's next score arrived midway through the half. Bayern's determination to play out from the back had been dangerous and was capitalized on. The winger intercepted Stine Ballisager's stray pass and passed to the Swedish striker, who directed it towards the Spanish midfielder on the edge of the box. The talented playmaker took a touch to alleviate pressure from the defender before driving past Grohs.

After Break Collapse

The intensity dropped a little in the final period. José Barcala made substitutions to try to get his team back into the game: the former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder, whose hat-trick in October 2024 turned the match from 2-2 to 5-2, entered and Arianna Caruso and Turkish talent followed shortly. The last of these would make Arsenal sweat first, sprinting forward and receiving from Klara Bühl before directing the ball past Van Domselaar.

Total Comeback

It was Bayern in the ascendancy after the deficit was reduced, the hosts believing they could take something from the game. The substitute produced, floating a cross in from the penalty box to equalize. They did not just want to draw, though: they wanted everything, and shortly after they had the lead, Icelandic defender turning in at the near post from the winger's delivery. This time it was a poor finish that let down Arsenal and, with a single victory from their European matches, they have a big job ahead.