Bayern Munich v Arsenal: Kane and Gyokeres in focus as Champions League heavyweights meet

Vincent Kompany and Mikel Arteta renew their former Manchester City connection when Bayern Munich host Arsenal at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday in one of the standout matches of the Champions League.

Bayern surrendered a 2-0 lead before drawing 3-3 with Viking FK in their second league-phase game. Herman Haugen’s 90th-minute header secured a historic point for the Norwegian side after Bayern had recovered to lead 3-2.

Michael Olise was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, ruling him out of this match. Kompany described the Frenchman’s decision to throw the ball at Viking player Zlatko Tripic as a “stupid mistake”. The draw followed a 2-2 stalemate with Augsburg, although Bayern responded by thrashing RB Leipzig 6-1 at home, with Luis Diaz scoring a hat-trick and Harry Kane contributing a goal and two assists.

The German champions remain unbeaten in all competitions in 2026-27 and have scored 25 goals in their past six matches. They have also scored in their last 23 Champions League games and are unbeaten in 39 consecutive home matches in the competition, winning 37 of them since a 3-2 defeat by Manchester City in December 2013. Kompany was an unused substitute for City that night.

Bayern’s eight Champions League goals this season are fewer only than Paris Saint-Germain’s 10 and the totals of FC Barcelona and Aston Villa, both on nine. Arsenal, by contrast, have scored four, the lowest total among the top 10 in the league-phase table.

Arsenal have conceded no goals in the competition, however. After a 1-0 win against Napoli, they beat Lille 3-0 through goals from Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka in a seven-minute spell. That was their 14th consecutive league-phase victory, split evenly between home and away matches.

Arteta’s side have won their past three games in all competitions, including a 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Noni Madueke’s deflected 80th-minute effort settled the match. Madueke also scored in Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Bayern at Emirates Stadium just over 12 months ago, but Arsenal have lost on their past three visits to Munich. Their only away win came in 2012-13, when captain Arteta led them to a 2-0 second-leg victory in the last 16.

Bayern are expected to replace the suspended Olise with 18-year-old Lennart Karl, ahead of Serge Gnabry. Jamal Musiala remains a doubt with a thigh injury, while Kim Min-jae is uncertain after going off against Leipzig with an unspecified problem. Manuel Neuer, 40, is expected to return after missing that match with a foot issue.

Kane will face Arsenal for the 23rd time, having scored 15 goals in his previous 22 meetings with them. He has not scored in his past two appearances against the reigning Premier League champions.

Arsenal have no suspensions, and Martin Zubimendi is fit after recovering from a minor ankle issue. Piero Hincapie, Christos Tzolis and William Saliba are out with ankle, hamstring and back injuries respectively. Madueke is expected to replace Eze, while Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Viktor Gyokeres could also start.

Likely teams

Bayern Munich: Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Davies; Pavlovic, Kimmich; Karl, Saibari, Diaz; Kane.

Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Guimaraes; Saka, Ødegaard, Madueke; Gyokeres.

The best available prices are Bayern Munich 3.73, Harry Kane to score 1.75, and Gyokeres or Havertz to score 1.78. Bayern’s loss of Olise, who has nine goals and five assists in 10 matches, is significant against the Champions League’s tightest defence, while Arsenal’s slow attacking starts make a draw the most likely outcome.

Bayern Champions League form: W, D Bayern all-competition form: W, W, W, D, D, W Arsenal Champions League form: W, W Arsenal all-competition form: W, W, L, W, W, W