Arsenal top the Champions League table using Neuer's blunders
Reading Time: 4min | Thu. 27.11.25. | 07:00
The Gunners are the only team in Europe without a defeat after a 3-1 win over Bayern
Germany football association, along with the manager Julian Nagelsmann are seriously thinking about setting up a meeting with Manuel Neuer, in which they could offer the soon to be 40-years old keeper a chance to return to the national team ahead of 2026 World Cup. But after the Wednesday night Champions League match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich, they should think twice about that. In a game between two top clubs in Europe, the North London team were given two gifts from the German keeper and secured a much deserved 3-1 win. Mikel Arteta‘s men were the better side and created plenty of chances but their misses were not punished by the Bavarians. Bayern is the first team in this Champions League season who managed to score against Arsenal but one goal was not good enough as the North Londoner's scored three and are currently at the top of the table as the only team without a defeat.
Arteta‘s men scored another goal from a set-piece and were more aggressive then the guests. The Spanish tactician also made perfects substitutions, as reserves Calafiori, Madueke and Martinelli contributed to two goals. But Neuer was at the centerpiece with a shaky reaction before the first goal and a terrible blunder with the third, when he rushed out 40 meters away from the goal line only to miss Martinelli, who put the ball into the empty net for the final score. In the group/league phase, Bayern have suffered only three defeats in their last 52 encounters and this was the fourth one.
Even thou both teams can be considered among the top 5 in Europe at the moment, they didn‘t provide a quality start of the game. The leading goal, which happened in the 22nd minute was basically the first chance of the match. As so many times before, the Gunners scored from a set-piece. Saka curled the ball to the front post, and the delivery drew Neuer off his line but Timber got there first, glancing the ball into the back of the net to give the home team the lead. Bayern‘s keeper acknowledged to his teammates that this goal was on him. Arsenal had only one good opportunity for the rest of the half, when Eze found himself in the penalty area but couldn‘t decide weather to pass the ball or shoot. In the end, the ball dribbled away from goal and out of the reach of Saka. One minute later, Bayern scored an equalizer. It was a fantastic action which started by a long and precise Kimmich assist from his own half to Gnabry, who immediately passed it to Karl and the 17-year old wonderkid scored with ease.
The Gunners opened the second half much better and after just three minutes Saka fired a right-footed shot at goal, but Neuer tipped it over. The Bayern keeper kept his team on level terms in the 56th minute when he saved a Mosquera header from point-blank range. The best opportunity for the hosts happened in the 62nd minute when Neuer saved Rice‘s shot superbly, but the ball went into the path of Saka. Instead of just taping from point blank range, the Arsenal winger didn‘t react well and a huge chance was waisted. But Bayern didn‘t punish all these mistakes and continued to play bad, and in the end, they conceded in the 69th minute. Upamecano, who was already playing bad and should have been sent off minutes before lost the ball, deep in his own half, allowing the home team to get the ball and Calafiori‘s cross was met by Madueke for the lead. Many thought that the Bavarians will finally wake up after this, and maybe they would, if it wasn‘t for Neuer who made another mistake, allowing Martinelli to score the third in the 77th minute.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 5
Wednesday
Copenhagen - Kairat 3-2 (1-0)
/Dadason 26, Larsson 59 pen, Robert 73 - Satpaev 81, Baibek 90/
Pafos - Monaco 2-2 (1-2)
/Luiz 19, Salisu 88 (og) - Minamino 5, Balogun 26/
Arsenal - Bayern 3-1 (1-1)
/Timber 22, Madueke 69, Martinelli 77 - Karl 32/
Atl. Madrid - Inter 2-1 (1-0)
/Alvarez 9, Gimenez 90+3 - Zielinski 54/
Eintr. Frankfurt - Atalanta 0-3 (0-0)
/Lookman 60, Ederson 62, De Ketelaere 65/
Liverpool - PSV 1-4 (1-1)
/Szoboszlai 16 - Perisic 6 pen, Til 56, Driouech 73, 90+1/
Olympiakos - Real Madrid 3-4 (1-3)
/Chiquinho 8, Taremi 52, El Kaabi 81 - Mbappe 22, 24, 29, 59/
PSG - Tottenham 5-3 (1-1)
/Vitinha 45, 53, 76 pen, Ruiz 59, Pacho 65 - Richarlison 35, Kolo Muani 50, 72/
Sporting - Club Brugge 3-0 (2-0)
/Quenda 24, Suarez 31, Trincao 70/
