Goals in each half from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard ensure we will go to Germany level pegging for the second leg next week.
We made the perfect start to our first Champions League quarter-final since 2010, when Bukayo Saka delightfully curled inside the far post.
But the German champions for each of the past 11 years came roaring back, taking advantage of a defensive mix up to level through Serge Gnabry before grabbing a half-time lead thanks Harry Kane’s penalty.
Second-half substitutes Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard combined for the Belgian to strike our equaliser with 15 minutes remaining, and we had a huge penalty shout turned down in the final minute of injury-time, but it’s still all to play for in Munich in eight days’ time.
Sublime Saka
Our house was turned red for the occasion – no away fans were permitted in the stadium – and the Emirates faithful created a crackling atmosphere at kick off.
The opening few minutes were cagey, tense and quiet until Saka injected some verve, winning possession high in Bayern territory. The ball was passed along to the edge of the area to Gabriel Martinelli – back in the starting line up – who flashed a shot wide of Manuel Neuer’s left-hand post.
Saka was then crunched into by left back Alphonso Davies, who picked up the game’s first booking – a card that rules the Canadian out of the second leg.
It was from the right hand side that we worked the opener. Saka and Kai Havertz won the ball back again with persistent pressing, before Ben White returned it to Saka inside the area. The winger showed great composure to measure his low left-footed shot just inside the far post to send Emirates Stadium into raptures.
Bayern turn it round
Within five minutes of Saka’s strike we passed up a huge chance to double our advantage. Havertz’s quick pass found White all alone in the area, with just Neuer to beat, but the defender blasted his shot straight at the grateful veteran keeper.
The miss was punished instantly. An uncharacteristically sloppy piece of defending ended with Gabriel’s loose pass being picked off in midfield, when David Raya had come racing out his goal. Leon Goretzka then played in the advancing Gnabry to slide in the equaliser.
The winger, who played 18 times for us a decade ago, had come back to haunt us, and pull the Germans level.
It soon got worse for us. On the half hour Leroy Sane burst free on the right flank, and made a beeline for the penalty area. Jorginho almost made the vital intervention, getting a toe to the ball, but Sane carried on before being brought down by William Saliba. Harry Kane stepped up and converted the penalty low to Raya’s left.
Ben’s brilliant block
The game had certainly opened up, but as we chased the equaliser, we left gaps at the back. Sane again sprinted forward, finding himself all alone in our half. As he bore down on goal he looked certain to score, only for White to deny him with a magnificently-timed block.
Mikel Arteta introduced Alex Zinchenko at half-time, looking to wrestle back some attacking impetus.
This was the first time we had trailed in any home game this year, and we took a while to regroup. Trossard and Gabriel Jesus were also introduced, but we were largely forced into shots from distance, with the visitors getting back in numbers, ready to pounce on the counter when wining the ball back.
Subs combine
Neither side had managed a shot on target in the second period though, until Jesus and Trossard combined superbly for the equaliser. Declan Rice won a header and fed the ball to Jesus on the edge of the area. The Brazilian did brilliantly to control, hold the ball up the roll it into the path of Trossard, who made no mistake with a first-time finish.
The Emirates found its voice again, looking for a grandstand finish, but it was the Germans who nearly nicked it, Kingsley Coman struck the post from close range, through Raya’s legs.
In the final minute of injury-time we were denied what looked to be a penalty, when Neuer brought down Saka in the area, but the referee blew up for full-time. It was a controversial ending to a dramatic encounter.
FACTS AND STATS
We remain without a win in the first leg of each of their last eight two-legged knockout ties in the Champions League (D1 L7) since a 2-1 win over Barcelona in the 2010-11 last 16.
Bayern Munich have progressed from six of the eight previous occasions they have drawn an away first leg of a two-legged Champions League knockout tie, failing only against AC Milan in the 2006/07 quarter-final, and Liverpool in the 2018/19 last 16 – both of whom went on to win the competition in those seasons.
Bukayo Saka has been directly involved in eight goals in the Champions League this season (4 goals, 4 assists); only Thierry Henry (10 in 2002/03 & 11 in 2003/04) has had a hand in more in a single campaign for us in the competition.
Leandro Trossard has scored six goals as a substitute in all competitions this season; no player has more from the bench for clubs in Europe's big-five leagues in 2023/24. The Belgian also became only the fourth player in Champions League history to score in each of his first four home appearances in the competition, after Alessandro Del Piero, Frederic Kanoute, and Oscar.
Only Karim Benzema (11) has scored more away goals against English clubs in the Champions League than Serge Gnabry, who has seven such goals for Bayern Munich (4 v Tottenham, 2 v Chelsea, 1 v Arsenal).
Harry Kane has scored six goals at the Emirates Stadium, the most of any visiting player in all competitions since the ground opened in 2006.
Eight of Kane's 15 goals against us in all competitions have been penalties; indeed, this is the most penalties any player has scored against a single Premier League club since the start of 2014/15.
What’s next
The second leg takes place in Munich next Wednesday, April 17 – and a reminder that the away goals rule is no longer in place. So if we are level on aggregate after 90 minutes in Germany, there will be extra-time, then if needed penalties to decide who goes through to the last four to face either Real Madrid or Manchester City. But before all that, it’s full focus back on the Premier League, and a home match against Aston Villa this Sunday.
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