WE CAN MUNCH MUNICH
Rice hungry to bounce back at Bayern
DECLAN RICE believes a Champions League quarterfinal clash with Bayern Munich is the “perfect” game for Arsenal to overcome defeat to Aston Villa.
The Gunners were deservedly beaten 2-0 by Unai Emery’s men at the Emirates on Sunday as Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins scored the goals to boost Villa’s top-four hopes.
Arsenal would have returned to the ummit with a win but now sit second, two points behind reigning champions Manchester City.
There is no time for Mikel Arteta’s players to lick their wounds, as they travel to Germany for the second leg of their finely-poised Champions League quarter against Bayern.
A 2-2 draw in north London last week leaves the tie on a knife-edge and Rice feels such a big game is what Arsenal need after a slip-up.
“It’s the perfect game for a reaction,” he said.
“We need a reaction on Wednesday night and it is a great chance to show our character and leadership. It’s time to go out there and hopefully get into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
“We have to park this to the side now. It’s gone, it’s a game of football. We’ve lost but we need to bounce back, that’s for sure.
“Going to the Allianz Arena, it’s going to be a special night. It’s time to pull our socks up and show everyone why we’re in this position.
“We’re gutted and disappointed we’ve lost a massive game but, it’s time for a reaction.
Deadlock
“We’ve been on such an amazing run since January, won so many football matches and got ourselves back into an unbelievable position after being written off at Christmas.”
This was former Arsenal boss Emery’s first trip back to the Emirates Stadium as Villa manager and the Spaniard severely dented the title charge of his old club.
Villa had already hit the woodwork through Watkins and Tielemans before substitute Bailey tapped home to break the deadlock late on.
With the hosts pushing for an equaliser, Watkins raced from his own half to latch onto a long ball and double the lead with a deft finish.
The win means fourth-placed Villa opened up a three-point gap on Tottenham in the battle for what looks like being the final Champions League place.
Like Arsenal, they now turn their attention to Europe as they prepare for the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final with Lille, having won at home 2-1.
“I definitely will take confidence from it and I think the team should take a lot of confidence from this game as well,” Bailey said of the victory at Arsenal.
“The way we played, coming to the Emirates – I think the way we set out was so strong and I think the team really didn’t give up too much and we created opportunities at the same time.
“I think from this, we should really take this game into consideration and give ourselves a lot of confidence moving forward.”
Here, Midweek Sport looks at the highs and lows Arsenal have been through since the closing years of Arsene Wenger’s reign.
HIGHS SLAVIA PRAGUE 0 ARSENAL 4: Europa League quarter-final, 2020-21
After conceding an added-time equaliser in the home leg, Arteta’s Arsenal cruised into the final four with a fine showing at the Sinobo Stadium. Goals from Nicolas Pepe, Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka had the Gunners cruising at the break before Lacazette wrapped up the emphatic win in the second half.
OLYMPIACOS 1 ARSENAL 3: Europa League round of 16, 2020-21
Two late goals were enough to give Arsenal a strong lead to take back to north London for the return leg. Martin Odegaard had given the visitors the lead but Youssef ElArabi levelled before the hour – only for Gabriel Magalhaes and Mohamed Elneny to score in the closing stages.
VALENCIA 2 ARSENAL 4: Europa League semifinal, 2018-19
Unai Emery had been appointed as Wenger’s successor and the most successful manager in Europa
League history was at it again in his first season in charge.
A 3-1 victory in the home leg at the Emirates was built on brilliantly in Spain as PierreEmerick Aubameyang stole the show with a hat-trick, with Lacazette also among the goals on the night.
Napoli 0 Arsenal 1: Europa League quarter-final, 2018-19
Another strong home outing in the first leg had put Arsenal in the driving seat as they went to Italy with a 2-0 aggregate lead. An accomplished display, rounded off by a first-half Lacazette goal, completed a job well done for Emery and his players.
LOWS PORTO 1 ARSENAL 0: Champions League round of 16, 2023-24
After a seven-year wait to return to the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition, Arteta’s side stalled.
Porto’s approach frustrated and restricted Arsenal in equal measures and Galeno’s stunning stoppage-time strike then compounded a night to forget in Portugal. VILLARREAL 2 ARSENAL 1: Europa League semi-final, 2020-21
Emery may have lost his one and only Europa League final as Arsenal boss but he once again proved this was his competition as he led Villarreal to victory over his former side on course to lifting the trophy again.
Manu Trigueros and Raul Albiol had the hosts two goals ahead inside half an hour before Dani Ceballos was sent off for Arsenal. Pepe pulled one back from the penalty spot but a 0-0 draw at the Emirates saw Emery triumph. ATLETICO MADRID 1 ARSENAL 0: Europa League semi-final, 2017-18
Wenger’s final chance to win European silverware as Arsenal manager evaporated with defeat in the Spanish capital. Having been held to a 1-1 draw at home despite Atleti playing with 10 men for 80 minutes, Diego Costa’s match-winner in Madrid saw Arsenal eliminated and
Wenger’s hopes of Europa League glory fade. BAYERN MUNICH 5 ARSENAL 1: Champions League round of 16, 2016-17
Three goals in 10 second half minutes proved the undoing of Wenger’s side in Munich, after Alexis Sanchez had cancelled out Arjen Robben’s early effort. Robert Lewandowski and a Thiago Alcantara double took the game beyond the visitors, before Thomas Muller struck late on.
Bayern added insult to injury by repeating the scoreline in the second leg at the Emirates. BARCELONA 3 ARSENAL 1: Champions League round of 16, 2015-16
Having barely scraped out of their group, Arsenal were handed a lesson by Barcelona, losing the home leg of their tie 2-0.
They travelled to the Nou Camp in hope rather than expectation but were again found wanting, Elneny’s fine consolation of little consequence as Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi all struck for the hosts.