Bayern and Arsenal draw 2:2 – Kimmich absent due to bereavement

FC Bayern Munich hosted FC Arsenal on Wednesday in the Champions League. The match ended in a 2:2 draw. Bayern scored through Davies and Kane, with Kane adding a penalty. Arsenal equalised twice through Eze and Rice.

There was uncertainty about several Bayern players ahead of the fixture. Assistant coach Aaron Danks reported on Tuesday that manager Vincent Kompany, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and midfielder Joshua Kimmich were in doubt. By Wednesday, signs had emerged that Kompany might be present on the sideline.

Joshua Kimmich was indeed absent from FC Bayern. The national team player was unavailable due to a bereavement in his immediate family. Bayern therefore had to do without their captain.

The match was marked by high intensity and competitive play according to multiple sources. Arsenal had to cope with an injury: Bukayo Saka was injured in the first ten minutes and replaced by Eberechi Eze, who scored shortly after to give Arsenal the lead.

Before the match, Arsenal defended itself against criticism of its playing style. Goalkeeper David Raya emphasised that he did not care if opposing fans called Arsenal boring. Manager Mikel Arteta pointed out that such critics represented a "very small minority". Arsenal had previously beaten Nottingham Forest 1-0 on Sunday and had ten wins in eleven games across all competitions.

The draw against Arsenal in the home match at the Allianz Arena was not enough for Bayern to secure a major victory. The Munich side had to manage without several top players and missed the opportunity to take three points in this top-tier encounter on matchday 3 of the Champions League league phase.