Arsenal vs Bayern Munich: Too Many Injuries For The Gunners?
by Geoffrey Ejiga
Can Arsenal Overcome Flawless Rivals Despite Injury Woes?
Just as the best football odds suggest, Arsenal have all it takes to give Bayern Munich their first taste of defeat this season. However, the Gunners enter this game with several key players missing. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were already sidelined since the 2025/26 season began, and now, Gabriel Magalhaes, Viktor Gyokeres, and Martin Odegard join the list.
That’s why pundits wonder if Arsenal can really beat Bayern with their starting striker, midfielder, and defender missing due to injuries. See what our football experts think will happen in this Arsenal vs Bayern prediction.
Of all the major injuries Arsenal face, it’ll be Gabriel’s absence that they will feel the most in this game. He’s arguably been the best centre back in Europe this season, and his pairing with William Saliba has kept the Gunners from conceding even a single goal in the UCL. Arsenal have also conceded the fewest goals in Europe this season (6), alongside Roma.
But Gabriel’s contribution for the Gunners this season goes beyond his defensive actions. In four Champions League games, the Brazilian defender has scored 1 goal and provided 1 assist, contributing almost a fifth of Arsenal’s 11 goals. It’s almost poetic that Arsenal now face Bayern, the best attacking side with the most goals in Europe, without their best defender.
However, the Gunners’ summer signings have proven to be worth every dime. Hincape has slotted perfectly into the left CB position, helping to keep six clean sheets in the seven games he’s played for Arsenal.
What’s more, Eberechi Eze, who just scored a marvellous hat-trick against Tottenham this weekend, replaces Odegard at the 10 position. Meanwhile, Merino will likely take up the ST duty, something he’s done successfully one too many times for the Gunners.
Will Bayern’s Unbeaten Run End On England Trip?
Even with the likes of Arsenal in the mix, Bayern have arguably been the best team in Europe so far. They haven’t lost a single game and boast of a staggering 17 wins in 18 competitive games. The German side has also scored the most goals in Europe (41) and joint-second most in the UCL (14).
Bayern’s matchup with Arsenal only seems like a classic case of "unstoppable force versus immovable object", as the teams with the highest goals scored and least conceded clash. But can Bayern even net a goal in this game to become the first to score against Arsenal in this campaign?
The answer? Likely. Bayern’s Champions League run so far has already seen them beat PSG, the reigning UCL champions (2-1) and Chelsea (3-1), the reigning CWC champions and Arsenal’s local London rivals. Not only have Bayern scored in all 18 games this season, but they’ve also scored 2+ goals in each game.
If there’s any team that can overcome Arsenal’s rock-solid defence, it's the current UCL and Bundesliga league leaders. Bayern are undefeated in their last five games against Arsenal, and a win here would make it five wins in six meetings.
