the Bavarians save their season by qualifying for the semi-finals of the Champions League

After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, Bayern won 1-0 on Wednesday, thanks to a goal from Joshua Kimmich which broke the Bavarian series of three consecutive eliminations in the quarter-finals of C1.

Munich can still dream of a title. Three days after seeing Leverkusen take their Bundesliga crown, and while they are eliminated from the German Cup, Bayern remain in the Champions League race. The Bavarians won 1-0 on their lawn against Arsenal on Wednesday April 17, thanks to a goal from Joshua Kimmich (63rd), after having brought back England’s draw the previous week. While they remained on three consecutive eliminations at this stage of the competition, the Germans returned to the semi-finals for the first time since their title in 2020.

Bayern, however, were not given favorites. In difficulty on the national scene and after being scared in the previous round with a defeat at Lazio (0-1, 3-0 victory on the return leg), FCB is no longer the ogre of the years past which terrified Europe. Conversely, Arsenal, Premier League leader at the time of the draw, appeared as a potential outsider. But Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are still too soft against a team as experienced at this level as Bayern, who have only missed the Champions League quarter-finals once in the last 13 editions. .

The Gunners attack muzzled

Following a very open draw (2-2) in the first leg, the two coaches made some tactical adjustments to find solidity at the back. Mikel Arteta thus opted for Takehiro Tomiyasu on the left of defense, rather than Jakub Kiwior or Oleksandr Zinchenko. Thomas Tuchel, who must leave the club at the end of the season since the crisis experienced in February, had to do without Serge Gnabry, nor Mathys Tel, and established Raphaël Guerreiro on the left of the attack to help Noussair Mazraoui to defend on the side strong of Real, that of Bukayo Saka. Choices which led to a closed meeting with Harry Kane well held by the Arsenal defense and a right side of the Gunners totally annihilated.

In this battle of attrition, it was Bayern, with experience, who escaped thanks to a headed goal from Kimmich on the hour mark (63rd). Arriving at full speed in the area to take a cross from Guerreiro, the German surprised a London defense that was too wait-and-see. A logical result, as Arsenal failed to find a gap and did not put Manuel Neuer in difficulty, while the Bavarians had hit two posts in quick succession after returning from the locker room.

Absent from the Champions League since the 2016-2017 season, the Gunners showed that they still lacked experience, facing a Bayern who only had Jamal Musiala as a player under 24 at kick-off. A glorious past illustrated by Neuer, who after this match became the only record holder of clean sheets in the competition with 58 matches (out of 138) finished without conceding a single goal, ahead of Iker Casillas (57). Germany can still dream of a 100% German Bayern-Dortmund final at Wembley on June 1, as in 2013, already in the London stadium.