Arteta prepared for the ‘ best possible’ Bayern
German side struggling on home front but manager is wary
ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta is braced for Bayern Munich setting aside their Bundesliga struggles to produce their best possible performance in the Champions League quarter- finals.
The six- time European champions have endured a disappointing domestic campaign and travel to Emirates Stadium for Tuesday’s first leg on the cusp of relinquishing the German title for the first time in 12 years.
Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel is poised to depart his role at the end of the season, with his team currently 16 points adrift of leaders Bayer Leverkusen following four defeats in their last eight league outings.
Asked if the opposition’s poor form was relevant to the European tie, Arteta replied: “From my side, no.
“It’s something we have no say in, no control of. We just expect all the time the best from your opponent.
“Against Bayern, against any opponent, regardless of where they are you always have to expect that they play in their best possible way and be prepared to out perform them.
“Football is such a competitive environment and difficult to be consistent that this can happen to anybody.
“They are a top team. I am a big admirer of Thomas: his teams, the way they set up, the way they play, what they transmit.
“We have to take our game where we want it and if we do that we’ll have a chance to win.”
German champions- elect Leverkusen – managed by Xabi Alonso – thumped Bayern 3- 0 in February en route to building their runaway lead.
Spaniard Arteta was coy on whether he had approached compatriot Alonso for advice on how to defeat the Bavarian club.
“Great question but I’m not going to answer that,” he replied with a smile.
Arteta is relishing the pivotal final weeks of the season, with his Premier League leaders chasing a domestic and European double.
The Gunners have not played at this stage of the Champions League since the 2009- 10 season and were hammered 5- 1 on each of their previous three meetings with Bayern, in 2015 and both legs of a 2017 last- 16 tie.
Arteta, who was a non- playing member of Arsene Wenger’s squad for the first of those thrashings, has little interest in dwelling on the past as he strives for silverware.
“It’s irrelevant, we just focus on the performance that we have to put in to beat a top and exceptional team with exceptional individuals,” he said.
“We have to earn every right to try to make it happen.
“We haven’t been in this position for 14 years. For this club it’s a long, long time and we realise that and that’s why we have this hunger and desire to make it happen.
“This is where we want to be. We are in a really good position in the Premier League and we’re in a really good position in the Champions League.
“We have a big task ahead of us against one of the most successful clubs in Europe. That’s the hurdle we have to overcome and we’re looking forward to it.”
Tuchel, meanwhile, has warned Arsenal that Bayern “want to cause them pain” at the Emirates Stadium.
The Bayern boss managed Chelsea between 2021 and 2022 and returns to London to face the Premier League leaders tonight.
“Arsenal are currently the best team in the Premier League and that is deserved, all the data shows that,” Tuchel. “They are in great form and have been at the highest level for the last two seasons so it’s a massive test for us.
“It’s the second year for them where they’re playing at this really high level, they have so much energy on the pitch and they can keep it for a long time.
“We know about our own strengths and how we want to cause them pain. We know the Champions League is a competition where we have more experience over the last few years. We want to use it to our advantage.”
Former Manchester City winger Leroy Sane worked alongside Arteta, who was Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager until 2019, at the Etihad Stadium. Sane credited the current Arsenal boss for developing him as a young player.
He said: “It was great and I was pleased to work with him because he helped me a lot at City. We had some talks about how I can improve in my game, what my weakness and strengths are. I think I made huge improvements because of the ideas he had and what he gave to me. I still keep them in my mind.”
The clash will see Bayern’s former Tottenham striker Harry Kane lock horns with the Gunners again, having scored 32 goals in his debut Bundesliga season so far.
And Tuchel believes the England captain will relish his return.
He said: “I think it’s enjoyable for Harry to be here at Arsenal in a quarterfinal of the Champions League.
“It will make him very happy to score and I don’t see anything holding him back.”