Arsenal, Munich Battle For Q’Finals Today

Arsenal fans are hoping for a miracle ahead of their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, as Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben look unlikely to feature.

The Gunners will have to overturn a daunting 3-1 first-leg defeat to progress to the quarter-finals  but Bayern have not lost at home by more than one goal for 25 months  and 52 games.

The German giants are a staggering 20 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

But Olivier Giroud insists Arsenal can make it: “In football you never know. We need to believe and stay focused.”

Bayern are without suspended midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and defender Jerome Boateng, while Ribery is also out after injuring his left ankle in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf. Robben is also doubtful with a calf strain.

Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller put Bayern 2-0 ahead in the first leg after just 21 minutes at the Emirates, before Lukas Podolski pulled one back for the hosts. The Germans then added another through Mario Mandzukic.

“We need to score an early goal,” Giroud says. “But we need to correct our bad defensive behaviour as well.”

Arsenal must win by three clear goals or win 3-1 and then triumph in the penalty shoot-out.

Giroud says Bayern’s attacking approach will give Arsenal the chance to come back into the tie: “I like to play against German teams because they are attacking all the time. There, I get myself more possibilities to score. It will be an interesting game for sure.”