Bayern Munich’s winless streak for the 2025/26 season thus far was snapped by Arsenal fair and square. Mikel Arteta’s side were the deserved 3-1 winners at the Emirates in the Champions League on Wednesday
night and are also more than deserving of being top of the Champions League table and Premier League table. It was, quite arguably, Europe’s two best teams locking horns in North London, but on the overall balance, Arsenal could have won by a larger margin and Bayern were ultimately made to pay for some of the mistakes they made at the back and in transition.
Lennart Karl’s 32nd minute goal that levelled things at 1-1 after Jurrien Timber’s 22nd minute header seemed like it was going to make things very interesting for the remainder of the match, but Manuel Neuer faced an onslaught of pressure from the Gunners in the second half. Unanswered goals from substitutes Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli sealed Bayern’s fate of losing their undefeated streak and Arsenal out-shot Bayern, having registered 8 shots on target to Bayern’s 2. Neuer was miles off of his line in the buildup to Martinelli’s goal, but Bayern was pressing to find an equalizer and there were always going to be spaces open just waiting to be exposed by the Premier League leaders
After the match, Joshua Kimmich was able to keep things in perspective, knowing just how good of a start to the season Bayern have had, and likewise Arsenal. “Of course today hurts and we wanted to win, but when you look at the table, if we do our homework in the remaining three games we should be comfortably through. It’s all in our hands,” Kimmich stressed (via @iMiaSanMia).
To look at the bigger picture, Bayern are still top of the Bundesliga table and have not lost a match in the league yet and are still third in the Champions League table, having only lost to Arsenal, who are top of that table and the only remaining undefeated team in the competition since Inter lost to Atletico Madrid. To view things with even more of a glass half full approach, Bayern have been without both Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies — and they have only just welcomed back Hiroki Ito to the squad.
Before the season started, if Bayern’s current status were to be offered with only one loss across all competitions, a lot of fans would more than likely have snapped someone’s hand off to be able to have that. It’s always important to keep things in proper perspective.
