Didi Hamann has poured cold water on Arsenal’s historic quadruple hopes and he reckons Bayern Munich are the ones to burst the bubble.
The former Liverpool midfielder, never one to mince words, reckons Vincent Kompany’s men have the Gunners’ number if the two giants collide in the Champions League knockouts. And given how this season’s shaping up, that collision feels increasingly inevitable.
Four on the floor
Arsenal are still dancing on four fronts. Premier League? Four points clear of City, despite that frustrating 1-1 at Brentford on Thursday. Carabao Cup? Final bound, City waiting. FA Cup? Wigan at home on Sunday. Champions League? Straight through to the last 16 after topping the league phase .
It’s the stuff of dreams. But Hamann sees a nightmare scenario brewing in Munich.
“Bayern have always got the better of Arsenal”
“Usually in the past, Bayern have always got the better of Arsenal,” Hamann told Thunderpick. “So, I think that was one of the reasons why Arsenal was desperate to show them, you know, this year is our year” .
He’s not wrong. The history’s painful for Gooners: 2013, 2014, 2017 Bayern ended their Champions League campaigns three times in four years. That 10-2 aggregate in 2017 still stings.
But Arsenal did beat them 3-1 at the Emirates back in November . A statement win. A changing of the guard, maybe.
Bayern’s wobble
Hamann acknowledges Bayern aren’t quite the juggernaut they were in autumn. They’ve dropped points lately. The 5-1 win over Hoffenheim flattered them “there was an early sending off, and Hoffenheim hit the crossbar and had three clear cut chances. They should have been ahead at half time,” he noted .
But that’s the catch. If they rediscover their rhythm?
“So Bayern Munich are not firing as they did in the autumn. But if they do get back to their form, I would favour Bayern Munich over two games” .
“Breathtaking”
Hamann’s not writing Arsenal off entirely. Far from it. He called their November encounter “breathtaking” . He knows it’d be a tie for the ages.
But experience tells. Bayern have been here before. They know how to navigate two legged European ties against English sides. Arsenal, for all their progress under Arteta, are still proving they can do it on the biggest stage.
The road ahead
First things first: Arsenal need to get past whoever lands in their path in the last 16. Dortmund, Olympiacos, Atalanta or Leverkusen await . Then, potentially, Bayern in the quarters or semis.
The draw’s done on February 28 . The script’s already writing itself.
Michael Owen, for what it’s worth, agrees with Hamann’s caution. “The Champions League could be anybody’s, that’s really open this year” .
We say: Bring on Bayern
Arsenal fear nobody. They’ve earned that right. But Hamann’s warning carries weight not because Bayern are invincible, but because history has a habit of repeating.
If they meet, it’ll be box office. And whoever wins? They’ll fancy their chances against anyone left in the draw.
