A sense of expectation has brewed in north London ahead of Bayern Munich’s visit on Tuesday night.
Meetings with the Bavarian behemoths were once met with dread among the Arsenal fanbase, but things are a little different ahead of the 2023/24 Champions League quarter-finals.
A far from vintage Bayern takes on a Gunners outfit that are coming into their own under Mikel Arteta. Top of the Premier League with seven games to go and in the last eight of this competition for the first time in 14 years, the excitement is palpable at the Emirates.
Crucially, Arteta has a near full cohort of players to select from, and here’s the lineup he could pick for Bayern’s visit on Tuesday.
GK: David Raya – Hero in the round of 16, Raya has kept three consecutive clean sheets ahead of Bayern’s visit.
RB: Ben White – Arsenal’s mid-season trip to Dubai seemingly brought White to life. After an indifferent start to the season, the full-back has been superb in recent weeks.
CB: William Saliba – The Frenchman has starred once again this term, and many supporters believe these are the occasions Saliba is built for.
CB: Gabriel Magalhaes – Gabriel has been nothing short of imperious this term, and he’ll duel a familiar foe in Harry Kane on Tuesday night.
LB: Takehiro Tomiyasu – The one-v-one security Tomiyasu provides should see him thrust back into the starting XI having appeared off the bench since the break.
DM: Jorginho – A fine performance at the Amex should be enough for Jorginho to retain his place over Thomas Partey.
CM: Declan Rice – Rice has been the difference maker for Arsenal this season, and he certainly has the capacity to dominate Bayern’s underwhelming engine room over the two legs.
CM: Martin Odegaard – The masterful playmaker has been in majestic form this calendar year, and will be aiming to inspire a memorable Champions League victory on Tuesday night.
RW: Bukayo Saka – An injury doubt heading into Saturday’s game, Saka scored from the spot to set Arsenal on their merry way. He may be suffering from a hint of fatigue, but he’s a certainty to start.
ST: Kai Havertz – Havertz was excellent at the Amex, and he’ll be keen to make a strong impression against the club which were once immensely keen on signing him.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli – Martinelli has been used off the bench since returning from a foot injury, with his last start arriving over a month ago on 4 March. The Brazilian hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons, but some of his best performances have arrived in the Champions League.
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