UEFA Champions League: Arsenal v/s Bayern Munich Match Preview

Kick-Off: October 21, 12:15 am at the Emirates Stadium

Arsenal, who have had a good start in the 2015/16 Premier League, have struggled hard in the UEFA Champions League as they haven't won a single match in Europe's elite league and sit at the bottom of Group F.

The match with Bayern Munich will be a must win for Arsene Wenger and his men as a third loss for the Gunners in the Champions League would hamper their chances of qualification to the knock-out stages of the league.Talking to the reporters, Wenger admitted that Bayern Munich are among the 'best in the world', but is confident that his team has the potential to defeat the 2013 Champions League winners.

As quoted by Arsenal's official website, Wenger said: “There is no team without weaknesses. If you ask me to come out with them then I would not especially do that but there is no team without weaknesses. What we want is to win the game. We want to defend well, attack well and score the first goal - that is massively important in the big games.

Polish striker Robert Lewandowski will be the main threat for Arsenal as the Bayern Munich striker has scored 16 goals in 12 matches across all competitions. However, Wenger seems to be well prepared to prevent the 27-year-old striker from scoring.

"First of all the best way to combat him is for us to have the ball," Wenger said, as per Arsenal's official website. "After that you have to be shrewd with him because inside the box he is outstanding, because of his technique, his finishing, his movement inside the box. That’s where we need the experience of Mertesacker and Koscielny to deal with that because that will be one of the important things on the night."

Bayern Munich on the other hand have had a wonderful start to their season, have won all of their first nine games of the 2015/16 Bundesliga, occupying the top spot on the league with a massive goal difference of 25 goals. The Bavarians have also started well in the Champions League, having won against Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb.

Bayern skipper Philipp Lahm believes Arsenal are a good team and they're prepared to face them. Talking to Bayern Munich's website, Lahm stated: "They’re a good team with good individuals, and they’re showing their true colours in the league. But they’re under severe pressure in the Champions League. They need a result against us, but we’re prepared for that. Arsenal are always dangerous because they have real quality and very good, dynamic players in their ranks. And like us, they like to have the ball."

Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez will be the main player Wenger as he has scored 7 goals in 11 matches for the Gunners. Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola was quoted by Arsenal.com saying: "My old player Alexis is in top form. How he moves between the lines to create space is amazing."

The match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich is going to be quite intresting as Arsenal have a point tp prove in the Champions League and Bayern Munich have had a stupendous form since the start of the season. Also, what makes the match even more interesting is that travelling Bayern Munich fans will boycott the first five minutes of the match to protest against the exorbitant ticket prices at the Emirates, as the cheapest ticket price for the match is nearly £64.

Key Stats (OPTA STATS):

* Arsenal and Bayern Munich are facing each other for the third time in the last four Champions League seasons.

* Bayern Munich have beaten Arsenal on their two trips to the Emirates in the Champions League (3-1 in February 2013, 2-0 in February 2014). Both were in the last 16 stage of the competition.

* Arsenal have lost their opening two games in a Champions League group stage for the first time in their history. The last team to qualify for the knockout stages despite such a start were Galatasaray in 2012/13.

* Arsenal have never lost three consecutive games in the Champions League.

* Arsenal have lost six of their last 12 Champions League home games. They had lost only one of their previous 39 games on their own soil.

* Arsenal have conceded exactly three goals in three of their last four Champions League games at the Emirates (v Anderlecht, Monaco, Olympiakos).

* Arsenal have only failed to score three times in their last 30 Champions League home games.

* Arsenal have made it past the group stages in the last 12 seasons but have been knocked out at the last 16 stage in the last five campaigns.

* Robert Lewandowski has scored 15 goals in his last seven appearances.

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