The Gunners’ record goalscorer has pointed out why Mikel Arteta’s men could not defeat Thomas Tuchel’s side in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has disclosed why his former club could not get past Bayern Munich in this season’s Champions League.
21:50 - 17.04.2024
Heartbreak for UCL title contenders Arsenal as Bayern Munich end Gunners' Champions League dream
Arsenal have been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League after losing to Bayern Munich in the round of 16. Bayern won the second leg 1-0, securing a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in the semifinals.
19:53 - 16.04.2024
Bayern vs Arsenal: Tuchel divulges one thing that makes Bavarians favourites to advance
The outgoing Bayern head coach has pointed out why Mikel Arteta’s men may struggle at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday.
Bayern vs Arsenal
Both sides played out a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium last Tuesday, and Mikel Arteta’s men sought a rare victory at the Allianz Arena this week to eliminate the deposed Bundesliga champions.
Wednesday’s game in Bavaria was decided by Joshua Kimmich, netting his first continental goal of the season to carry Thomas Tuchel’s side into the last four against Real Madrid with a 3-2 aggregate win.
What did Henry say about Arsenal’s Champions League exit?
Arsenal’s record goalscorer pointed out why the Gunners fell short despite being favoured by many critics before the quarterfinals.
“Well, putting the ball in the back of the net, but today there weren’t many chances to do that,” said Henry on CBS Sports. “I do think the two goals at home were soft to concede. We know if you make those mistakes in the Champions League you’re going to pay the price.
“Today wasn’t good enough. You could see the two teams didn’t want to lose the game; they weren’t really going for it. There was a moment of bad defending for me, not only from Martinelli. I would put Tomiyasu also in that for not covering his centre-back and closing that line.”
Subsequently, Henry stated that elimination from the Champions League could be a blessing in disguise for Arsenal, who tend to struggle whenever they play three times a week.
What comes next for Arsenal?
With Arteta’s men having a freed-up schedule, Arsenal have the Premier League to focus on for the remainder of the season.
The Gunners are two points adrift of Manchester City in the title race and look to supplant Pep Guardiola’s men with six games remaining.
Arsenal return to action with a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday before hosting Chelsea at the Emirates on April 23.