Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich, 2013 UEFA Champions League: Goodnight, Gunners

That’s not to say there were no great performances in the match against Arsenal. Here are a few that really stood out.

The evolution of Toni Kroos over the last three seasons has been a joy to watch. The 23 year old has become the vital cog in the machine that is the Bayern Munich offense. Jupp Heynckes moved Kroos into the role just behind the striker, and the midfielder has flourished like never before. He has eight goals and seven assists to his name so far, and these numbers will only grow as we continue on in this season. Kroos is one of the best pure strikers of the ball in the game today, and he displayed these abilities early with a seventh minute goal that completely silenced the normally-not-very-loud Emirates Stadium.

Update: Bayern down Arsenal, 3-1

Both sides had solid spells of possession for the rest of the half, with Arsenal having more of the ball, but Bayern backed off following their second goal and looked content to play a more defensive game. Just before the end of the half, they hit on a counter and Mario Mandžukić missed a close-range header by inches, failing to capitalize on an opportunity that would have all but ended this tie. Arsenal are going to need something special to get back in this, and they’re going to need to avoid conceding again as well.

For more on the two teams, head over to Arsenal blog The Short Fuse and Bayern Munich blog Bavarian Football Works.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich are not only two great clubs, but they have one striking similarity between them. Each leg of their Champions League tie will see the away fans travel to a shiny, recently-built stadium, with all the trappings of modern football, for better or for ill (and not necessarily the same for both grounds.) Both were built for the same purpose - to expand the earning potential of their hosts, and give them a chance to compete with other European giants. And we all know how it’s turned out.

To forgive the peddling of any lazy stereotypes of German efficiency, Bayern simply got things done far more effectively than Arsenal did when it came to the stadium. Out of a desperation for security, Arsenal signed up to very, very long deals on various sponsorship rights. Their kit deals will not expire until next year, and incredibly, the stadium sponsorship was set to run until 2021. Since then, clubs around the world have vastly increased their income from these sources, and mostly spent the money on paying players higher wages. Arsenal have stood still, but have still had to cope with the higher wages regardless.

The Gunners are coming off of a FA Cup loss to Blackburn that has them on their way to another trophy-less season and are still out of the Champions League places in the Premier League. They also failed to win their group, which is why they have Bayern waiting for them in this round. There isn’t a lot to get excited about at the Emirates right now.

Match date/time: Tuesday, February 19; 2:45 p.m. ET

Bayern Munich were a good enough team to reach the Champions League final and compete for the Bundesliga last season, but ultimately came up short in both competitions. As talented as they were, it became apparent as last season wore on that they lacked a complete center forward, another passer in midfield, and an athletic central defender.

Over the summer, Bayern bought three players to plug those holes. They now look like an unstoppable juggernaut, posed to compete on three fronts. They’re still in the DFB-Pokal, they have the Bundesliga title all but wrapped up, and they’re favorites to advance past Arsenal in their Champions League tie.