Arsenal

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta says the quadriceps injury Arsenal's Bukayo Saka picked up in the 2-2 Champions League draw against Bayern Munich "does not look good at all".

The 25-year-old winger went down in the 10th minute at Allianz Arena - attempting to play a pass with nobody around him - and had to be replaced by Eberechi Eze, who went on to score the opening goal.

"They are a bit concerned. A player who has to come off with a really sharp pain is never good news but we have to wait and see," Arteta told TNT Sports.

Arsenal's style of play has been criticised this season but, even before Saka's withdrawal, the Gunners played on the front foot and enjoyed more possession than their German opponents.

Losing Saka, who has scored four goals in 11 appearances in all competitions, will be tough to deal with.

But the Gunners have invested heavily in their squad over the past two summer transfer windows and have options.

Madueke can play on both wings, while summer signing Christos Tzolis - although currently out with a hamstring injury - has started the season well.

The Gunners also have 16-year-old Max Dowman as an attacking option, and the youngster has already shown that he can have an impact for the senior side after scoring in the Premier League last season.

Arteta, who was asked what the rest of the forward line will need to do in Saka's absence, said he was pleased with what he saw against Bayern.

"I think Ebs [Eze] had a great game. Not only the ball, but the actions. His overall performance, I think his commitment without the ball as well," he said.

"And when the other ones come in, I think they really contributed to this. First of all, the energy.

"And then to bring different tools that the team needed in that moment to get something out of the game. So, very pleased again."

Read more on the injury

Arsenal are leading the race among Premier League clubs to sign 20-year-old Turkey midfielder Can Uzun from Eintracht Frankfurt. (The Daily Briefing), external

The Gunners want to recoup the £55m they paid to sign Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 28, with a deal more likely to happen at the end of the season than in January. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Arsenal starting XI:

David Raya: A very good save down low from a Serge Gnabry shot in the first half and an even better one from Dayot Upamecano in the second. His long-range passing was a big weapon for Arsenal in this match. 7

Jurrien Timber: Looked like he had regained some of his old sharpness. Some good moments going forward but got caught for one of the Bayern goals. 6

Ezri Konsa: The centre-back was given the tough task of sticking close to Harry Kane and had to follow the striker all over the pitch. A decent performance but also booked for a late tackle. 7

Gabriel Magalhaes: A solid game from Gabriel but part of a backline that conceded twice. 6

Riccardo Calafiori: The left-back is usually known for his attacking ability but he put in a good defensive display even though Arsenal conceded twice. 7

Declan Rice: The usual all-action display from Rice and he capped the performance with an excellent equaliser. 8

Bruno Guimaraes: The midfielder still looks like he is getting up to speed after joining the club. Some nice moments on the ball and almost scored with a header. 6

Martin Odegaard: An excellent pass for the opening goal and looked bright all evening. 7

Bukayo Saka: Started brightly but had to be withdrawn after just 10 minutes as he picked up what looked like a thigh injury, going down when nobody was near him as he attempted a pass. 5

Noni Madueke: Started on the left but switched to the right and was direct all night. Lots of effort and bright moments but nothing to show for it. 6

Kai Havertz: Some nice moments of link play but not enough of an attacking threat. 6

Arsenal substitutes:

Eberechi Eze (on 10, Saka): Scored the opening goal with a great finish low into the corner. A much-needed goal. 8

Viktor Gyokeres (on 68, Havertz): Came on and exchanged passes with Rice for the equaliser. 7

Myles Lewis-Skelly (on 69, Guimaraes): A big game to come on in from the bench and did well. 6

Mikel Merino (on 85, Odegaard): Introduced as Arsenal looked for a winner. 6

Subs not used: Meslier, Arrizabalaga, White, Mosquera, Zubimendi, Dowman.

Get in touch and tell us what you think of Arsenal's performance

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to TNT Sports: "That is one of the highest levels we played. Two teams who wanted to press each other and wanted to attack and wanted to play. It was a fascinating game.

"We started the game incredibly well, we were so dominant. Then we had to adapt without Saka. In the second half, the game was a bit even, and they scored the goals, and we had to react, which we did. We scored, and we had the chance to win it too. That is the level."

On Saka's injury: "They are a bit concerned. A player who has to come off with a really sharp pain is never good news, but we have to wait and see."

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, speaking to TNT Sports about Harry Kane for Ballon d'Or: "He is the clear winner. His numbers speak for themselves, the year he has had has been remarkable. When you play with him, you realise how good he is and when you play against him, you see how much of a pain it is.

"He is ridiculous, such a good player, and I am lucky I can play with him, not so lucky I have to play against him."

On his goal: "When you play against teams who are man-to-man all over the pitch, you have to apply certain principles. They follow you all over the pitch, but I lost my man and I just kept running and lost my runner, and then I was in on the goal. So happy. Gyokeres has been making such a good impact coming off the bench. He made some great runs tonight and set me up for the goal.

"It is what the manager has drilled into us. We aren't just going to come here and sit. At home, they are probably one of the best teams in Europe, so to come here tonight and give that account of ourselves was really good. We have to keep going."

Did you know?

• Tonight was only the second time Arsenal have scored first, fallen behind but then avoided defeat in a European Cup/Champions League match, and the other was a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in April 2024.

• Arsenal's Declan Rice scored his sixth Champions League goal but first away from home, while he's now been involved in five goals in his last eight games in all competitions (one goal, four assists).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Get in touch with your views here

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back to this page on Thursday to find a selection of your replies.

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Emerson Nwaneri, brother of Ethan, scored a stoppage time equaliser as Arsenal came from behind to draw 3-3 with Bayern Munich in the Uefa Youth League.

The Gunners took the lead early through a well-worked set piece before Bayern went ahead in the 30th minute after scoring twice.

Bayern's second came after Marli Salmon - who at 16-years-old was captaining the under-19 side - gave away a penalty.

Guido Della Rovere curled Bayern into a 3-1 lead but Salmon pulled one back after the break.

Nwaneri drilled a low deflected shot home to equalise at the end of a second half in which Arsenal had played well when chasing the game.

The Gunners side contained goalkeeper Jack Porter, Salmon, Ife Ibrahim and Theo Julienne, who have all featured for the first team.

There was also some minutes for 14-year-old Luis Munoz who is highly rated and is playing well above his age group.

There are nine games in the Champions League on Tuesday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Como v Manchester United (17:45)

• Lille v Galatasaray (17:45)

• Aston Villa v Viking

• Bayern Munich v Arsenal - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Club Brugge v Lens

• Inter Milan v Shakhtar Donetsk

• Real Betis v Feyenoord

• Real Madrid v RB Leipzig

• Sporting v LASK

Kick-off times 20:00 BST unless stated

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You can also listen to today's 5 Live Champions League commentary on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play "Bayern Munich v Arsenal" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Arsenal match".

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One from 22:40 to 00:00.

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Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, BBC Sport

The sound of fans being wowed by his football is something that has followed Eberechi Eze wherever he has played.

The Arsenal forward is known for his off-the-cuff skill, maverick nature and entertaining style.

But lately, those familiar elements of Eze have been missing.

Sunday's 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest was Eze's first Premier League start of the season. But replaced at half-time, having completed just nine passes and 22 touches of the ball, many have started to question whether he can reproduce the performances he was once known for.

There's an argument that Eze does not get a run in one position or a run of games to build momentum, but the stats show he gets a substantial amount of game time.

The Gunners played 63 matches last season and Eze started 36 of those (57%). Since his debut for Arsenal in August 2025 he has started in 56% of games (40 out of 72).

His 11 goals in 61 appearances have been scored across just eight games.

And he has delivered some huge moments in an Arsenal shirt, scoring five against rivals Tottenham Hotspur across two Premier League matches, with a hat-trick in the home fixture - while he also scored winners against Newcastle and former club Crystal Palace as the Gunners won the title.

Encouragingly for Eze and Arsenal fans, there are signs it still could click this season.

Although the sample size is a lot smaller, Eze's numbers per 90 minutes this season are higher in assists (0.25), goals and assists combined (0.50), shots on target (0.74), dribbles completed (1.98) and touches in the opposition box (5.95) than the previous campaign.

"We have some really good players and the expectations are so big for all of them," Arteta said. "And we want more from everybody. That is the mindset.

"That is what is going to make us better individually and as a team. I hope that continues as it is going to push all of us to reach different kind of levels and develop."

Read the analysis in full here

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio London's sport's team have been discussing the state of Arsenal's attacking form, following their 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

"At the start of the season it seemed like the shackles were off, but now I think we've reverted back," said present Jamal Fyfield. "I wonder why that is?

"I wonder if [Mikel] Arteta knows his best team. He has picked the same starting XI numerous times, but is that the best team to go out there and give a performance?

"Arteta is a defence-first coach in my opinion, and there are certain players in the side that play because defensively they start the press so early and so high up the pitch. That is the reason why I think [Kai] Havertz is in there.

"It's about trying to come in to games with confidence. The confidence does not seem as high as it should be."

Listen to the full discussion here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

The champions of Germany and England meet in an eagerly anticipated fixture which, but for Bayern's Munich semi-final defeat by Paris St-Germain, would have been last season's final.

The hosts' expansive, high-risk approach contrasts with Arsenal's more measured and disciplined style.

The Bavarians, unbeaten at home in the group stage or league phase of European competition for 13 years, have scored 23 goals in their four home games this season.

However, they have kept just three clean sheets in 10 matches this term and conceded three times in last week's draw with Viking, a result boss Vincent Kompany blamed on individual mistakes.

Bayern will need to be almost error-free against an Arsenal side with a similarly outstanding record at this stage.

The Gunners have won 14 consecutive Champions League games in the opening phase of the competition, including a 3-1 victory when the sides met at the Emirates last November.

Harry Kane drew a blank that night, but the former Tottenham star has an excellent record against his old north London rivals and is looking to score in a 10th consecutive Champions League game.

Did you know?

• Bayern are unbeaten in 39 Champions League group stage or league phase matches at home (W37, D2) since losing 3-2 to Manchester City in December 2013.

• Bayern have scored in 23 consecutive European games, with their past eight outings producing a total of 44 goals, an average of 5.5 per game.

Image source, Getty Images

Key Bayern Munich players - Harry Kane

England's captain already has records galore to his name but there is another in his sights. He has scored in nine consecutive Champions League games, two short of the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo from 2017 to 2018.

Kane has nine goals already this season and 15 for club and country.

His outstanding form has made him a leading contender to win the Ballon d'Or on Monday and Bayern are understandably keen to tie him down to a new contract.

Last week, it was reported a new deal, running until 2029, had been agreed in principle.

The former Spurs player has netted 15 times in 22 games against Arsenal.

Bayern Munich team news

Winger Michael Olise is suspended, with Serge Gnabry or Lennart Karl in contention to replace him.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer missed out at the weekend with a foot injury, while defender Kim Min-jae may also need to be assessed. Forward Jamal Musiala is sidelined by a thigh issue.

Arsenal are targeting a January move for 22-year-old Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi, with the German reportedly valued at £42m. (Sun), external

Real Madrid remain interested in signing Riccardo Calafiori, but Arsenal have made it clear an extraordinary offer would be required for them to sell the 24-year-old defender. (CaughtOffside), external

Arsenal and Liverpool are both interested in Spanish defender Xavi Espart, but Barcelona would reject offers for the 19-year-old, who has a release clause in excess of £84m. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya says team-mate Ezri Konsa has provided "incredible" performances since his £50m move from Aston Villa in the summer.

Konsa has played every minutes of the Gunners' past five Premier League games, keeping two clean sheets alongside his goalkeeper.

"His maturity and the leadership he brings is fantastic," Raya said of Konsa during the pre-match news conference for Wednesday's Champions League visit to Bayern Munich.

"He is a leader in the back four and he demands a lot from everybody. His performances that he has put in since he has come have been incredible. He has found his feet so so quickly - that is credit to everyone and credit to him for adapting so well.

"He was from Brentford but I never got to play with him. When he moved to Aston Villa he was a really good player and has been a little bit underrated. Now he is with us we are so happy to have him in the defensive line, and hopefully for many years."

Raya's impressive performances over the past year - playing a key role as Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final - have led to him being nominated for the Men's Goalkeeper of the Year award at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony

"I am delighted to hear what people think," the Spain international added when asked about some viewing him as the vest goalkeeper in the world.

"I've done a remarkable season and picked up where I left off, and just tried to do the best for myself and for the team to try to win matches.

"I am nominated and hopefully I'm in the conversation for winning. That's on Monday - we are focused on tomorrow. But, I am delighted with the comments and everything."

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Champions League game against Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Areta confirmed Martin Zubimendi is "back with us and he will be involved tomororow" while Piere Hincapie is nearing a return: "Let's see. If he is able to train over the next few days he will be available for Everton, which is great news."

• Arteta was asked about Eberechi Eze's recent form and his withdrawal at half-time in Sunday's win at Nottingham Forest: "I have some really good players. Expectations are so big for all of them. We want more from everybody and we demand it. That is what will make us better individually and as a team. I hope that continues because that will push all of us to reach different levels and be better."

• On the challenge of facing Bayern, who beat the Gunners in the quarter-finals in the 2023-24 season: "Really looking forward to the game. This is the stage, the kind of team, the coach, the stadium, the club, that you want to be involved in. We have prepared the game with loads of enthusiasm and we will try to win."

• Asked whether last season's defeat in the final is motivation, Arteta said: "I tried but I haven't managed [to get over it]. I tried for a few weeks. When I see the ball and the music and the scenes, I want it so badly. We know we have to go step by step, but that fire is within the team and all of us individually. We know what we had to go through not being champions of Europe via a penalty, so let's go again."

• On Bayern's Michael Olise being suspended for Wednesday's game: "You want to face the best players in these kind of games and he is out. But when you look at their starting XI, they are coached incredibly well, the midset they have, the conviction they have in every action, and then their individual quality. We will just confront that and go for it."

• Arteta praised opposite number Vincent Kompany, who missed his news conference with an illness: "I hope he gets better soon and is there tomorrow because it will be very good for the game. Huge admirer of him as a person because I got to know him for a few years, and as a coach. The identity and quality that his team shows over the past few years is another level and that is big credit for him."

• On the challenge for defenders facing Harry Kane: "They get tested a lot in the Premier League, and they have already done in the Champions League. I think what Harry is doing and has done in the past few years is just something else, another level, and that's the level they're going to have to face tomorrow."

Listen to full commentary of Bayern Munich v Arsenal on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds on Wednesday

Image source, Getty Images

We asked if you agreed with Arsenal fan Watson that Noni Madueke should be starting more games for the Gunners.

Here are some of your comments:

Jonathan: No, I think he needs to be kept on his toes, to get the best out of him. I do worry for Eberechi Eze. He needs to feel as though he's going to be a starter, before we see his Crystal Palace form.

Des: I don't think Madueke is consistent enough, but he has the ability. A more confident Noni would push Bukayo Saka and keep him on his toes.

Lara: Yes he should, but the same is true for Viktor Gyokores, Martin Zubimendi and Eze. All four were crucial to our success last season, but now all four are demoted to brief spells, mostly out of position, in favour of a more defensive, cautious approach.

Barry: Madueke needs to start more because Eze is no winger.

John: Madueke and Eze need to contribute more attacking-wise on a regular consistent basis.

Rachel: Noni Madueke has lots to offer and another team would surely snap him up if that chance occurs. He has no shortage of speed and loves to run at players. He's not afraid to shoot. He needs more starts to gain the consistency.

Rio Ngumoha has distanced himself from a possible move to Arsenal and the 18-year-old England winger says talks over a contract extension at Liverpool are "going well". (Metro), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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