Joshua Kimmich nodded home in the 63rd minute to win the Champions League quarter-final second leg for Bayern Munich; Arsenal had chances to score, especially in the first half, but were unable to find a reply; Bayern will now face Real Madrid in the semi-finals
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A bullet header from Joshua Kimmich saw Bayern Munich win 1-0 in their Champions League quarter-final second leg, claiming a 3-2 aggregate victory and knocking Arsenal out of the competition.
The return leg did not quite have the drama of the first at the Emirates, where the game ended in a 2-2 draw, but the Germans took advantage of a moment of lax Arsenal defending.
Kimmich powered home his effort just after the hour to see the Gunners beaten, suffering another blow to their hopes of silverware this season after a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Super Sunday.
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"At the moment it is a really gutted dressing room. Very disappointed," Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports after the game.
"I cannot find the right words to lift them. I wish I had. We have to go through it.
"The club has been without Champions League football for seven years and you want to play in the first year and be in the semi-finals or the final.
In the second half of the match, Arsenal managed just three shots with none of those on target, accumulating an excepted goals total of just 0.15.
"We all wanted that so badly but you can see in many other clubs it takes them sometimes six or seven years to get to that stage. We were very close, that's the reality.
"We have to go through the pain tonight and tomorrow, get up and come with the same attitude we had here, and hopefully beat Wolves."
Bayern will face Real Madrid in the semi-finals after they beat holders Manchester City on penalties in Wednesday's other quarter-final. The tie is set to take place on April 30 or May 1 and May 7 or 8.
How Bayern achieved success
Despite a goalless first half, both teams had chances. The hosts went close around the 20-minute mark, when Ben White was needed to make a vital clearance from Noussair Mazraoui's dangerous cross.
David Raya was then needed to keep out a long-range effort from Jamal Musiala, with Bayern's main goal threat - Harry Kane - registering just one touch in the opposition box.
Bayern Munich made four changes from their weekend win. Manuel Neuer, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane and Konrad Laimer were back in the starting XI.
Arsenal made one change from last week’s first leg at the Emirates. Takehiro Tomiyasu started at left-back in place of Jakub Kiwior.
Martin Odegaard was fit to start, lining up alongside Declan Rice and Jorginho, who didn't start in the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend.
Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Oleksandr Zinchenko dropped to the bench from that game.
But Arsenal soon began to kick into gear, as Manuel Neuer saved from Martin Odegaard, needing a second touch to keep the ball from going out for a corner.
But Arsenal's best chance of the half came when Martinelli connected with Odegaard's cross, but his shot went straight at the goalkeeper.
Immediately after the break, Bayern hit the post twice. Leon Goretzka's header smacked the woodwork with Raya beaten. Raphael Guerreiro's follow up was then put onto the upright by William Saliba.
And just after the hour, the hosts broke the deadlock. Guerriero picked up a loose ball on the left of the area. He lifted his head with enough time to spot the run of Kimmich from deep - losing his marker Martinelli - with the German nodding a powerful header past Raya.
After going behind, Arsenal couldn't quite rediscover their momentum. There were a few half chances, while Musiala went closest at the other end for Bayern, but it was ultimately Kimmich's header that decided the tie.
Player ratings
Bayern Munich: Neuer (6), Kimmich (7), De Ligt (7), Dier (7), Mazraoui (7), Laimer (7), Goretzka (7), Sane (7), Musiala (7), Guerreiro (7), Kane (6).
Subs: Kim (6), Upamecano (n/a).
Arsenal: Raya (7), White (6), Saliba (7), Gabriel (7), Tomiyasu (6), Rice (7), Jorginho (6), Odegaard (7), Saka (6), Havertz (6), Martinelli (7).
Subs: Trossard (6), Jesus (6), Nketiah (n/a),
Arteta: Margins in the tie were small
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to TNT Sports: "We tried against a team who has a lot of experience and through the tie the margins have been very small. There were moments where we were better.
"We gave them two goals and in the tie that was a big advantage to give away.
"You could see there was zero margin for error and we made a big mistake defending the box to concede the goal. Then it was difficult. We tried in many different ways but it's difficult.
"This is the moment to stay next to the players and give them support. We need to stick with them because they are the ones who have taken us on in this journey.
"It has to be a mistake or a magic moment that normally unlocks this tie. We didn't manage to win the first leg right at the end and we could have done.
"We were better than them then and today we had a lot of moments of dominance, but that spark around the box is what you need in these ties to get a victory.
"What we have left to play [for] is beautiful."
Analysis:
Another chance of silverware slipped from Arsenal's grasp in Munich.
It was another disappointing night for the Gunners following their defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday, which handed Man City the initiative in the Premier League title race.
However, while Sunday's result left the Emirates Stadium flat and deflated as hopes of winning a first Premier League title since 2003/04 suffered a setback, defeat in Europe can be a crucial part of the building and learning process for Mikel Arteta's young side as they look to become a real force in the Champions League.
"We have to go through the pain," Arteta said after the 1-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena, which saw the Gunners crash out of the tournament 3-2 on aggregate. "The club has been without Champions League football for seven years and you want to play in the first year and be in the semi-finals or the final. We all wanted that so badly, but you can see in many other clubs it takes them sometimes six or seven years to get to that stage. But we were very close, that's the reality."
Manchester City didn't make it out of the group stage in their two appearances in the Champions League. They reached one semi-final in their first eight goes at it. They reached the final in their 10th crack at it and only lifted the trophy at the 13th attempt.
The point is it takes time and there's no shame in a quarter-final exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, who reached a 14th semi-final in the competition.
Arsenal's lack of experience showed in this tie as they handed the initiative to Bayern at a crucial time in the first leg when they were dominant. They switched off for a split second in the second and they were punished. Arteta said it himself: "There was zero margin."
But just as sides have gone through it before them in Europe's premier club competition, this young Arsenal side will learn from this. Arteta will learn from this, and the challenge is to keep building, keep improving and going on the trajectory they have been, and come back stronger for another crack next season.
'Arsenal continue to make progress'
"At the final whistle Gabriel and Ben White dropped to the floor, Bukayo Saka stood alone, Thomas Tuchel hugged former player Kai Havertz and Bayern players celebrated in front of their adoring fans as they kept their season alive.
"At times in this game, Arsenal looked confident and dangerous, but in a game of fine margins, it’s a Joshua Kimmich header that decides it.
"Arsenal can now focus fully on catching Man City in the league but this is a team that looks at home on Europe’s biggest stage.
"They continue to make progress under Arteta, though it will be no consolation tonight."
Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel:
"It was a chess game in the first half. Nobody wanted to make the first mistake. Everyone played a bit safe - there were moments for us, there were moments for Arsenal. We encouraged the team at half-time to show a bit more personality, a bit more courage. We were more fluid and played a fantastic second half. We deserved to win.
"It's always better to play in front of your own fans. With every tackle and every good action, you get the support and it lifts you and gives you a second wind. Now it's the semi-finals and everyone needs to step up - we need to step up and the supporters need to step up again.
"Today we had three free seats on the bench. On the other side, there were no injuries. We lost our maximum speed from the first match in Davies, Coman and Gnabry. We needed to find solutions and we did it as a team. My biggest congratulations and compliments to the team. We are very happy."
Opta stats
Bayern Munich have reached their 13th UEFA Champions League semi-final, with only Real Madrid reaching more.
Arsenal have lost eight UEFA Champions League matches against Bayern Munich, two more than they've lost against any other side.
Five of Joshua Kimmich's last seven UEFA Champions League goals for Bayern Munich have come in the knockout stages (two in semi-finals, three in quarter-finals). Tonight's goal was only his second in his last 32 appearances in the competition, his other also coming against an English side in a home quarter-final tie (April 2023 vs Man City).
What's next?
Arsenal look to reignite their Premier League title hopes at Wolves on Saturday Night Football, Kick-off 7.30pm.
Bayern visit FC Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday April 20, Kick-off 5.30pm.
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