Manuel Neuer returns in goal for Bayern Munich and Noni Madueke starts for Arsenal as the confirmed lineups landed for tonight's huge Champions League clash at the Allianz Arena — with Harry Kane leading the Bayern line against the club he has tormented for a decade.
Bayern make five changes from the side that thrashed RB Leipzig 6-1 at the weekend. Neuer, who had missed the last two matches with a foot problem, is fit to start, Josip Stanisic comes in at left-back, and Tom Bischof partners Aleksandar Pavlovic in midfield with Joshua Kimmich unavailable. Serge Gnabry replaces the suspended Michael Olise, and Alphonso Davies starts on the left wing with Luis Diaz dropping to the bench. Arsenal's official team news confirms the full XIs: Bayern Munich — Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Stanisic; Pavlovic, Bischof; Gnabry, Saibari, Davies; Kane.
Madueke rewarded, Timber returns for Arsenal
Mikel Arteta makes just two changes from Sunday's 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. Madueke, who came off the bench to score the winner at the City Ground, is rewarded with a start, with Eberechi Eze dropping to the bench, and Jurrien Timber returns at right-back in place of Ben White. Arsenal line up as: Raya; Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Guimaraes, Odegaard; Saka, Madueke, Havertz — as NBC Sports' live coverage also confirms. White, on the bench, will make his 200th Arsenal appearance if he comes on.
The Arsenal bench tells its own story about the squad Arteta now has: Martin Zubimendi, fit again after an ankle problem, is among the substitutes alongside Viktor Gyokeres, Eze, Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly. William Saliba, Piero Hincapie and Christos Tzolis all remain out, so Ezri Konsa continues alongside Gabriel at centre-back — the pairing that has helped make Arsenal the only team yet to concede a goal in this season's league phase.
Kane, the absences and a midfield gamble
All eyes, as ever, will be on Kane. Arsenal's own preview notes he has scored 15 times against them in his career and has nine goals in all competitions already this season — and our preview set out why this fixture has so often run through him. But Bayern's team sheet carries real risk elsewhere: with Kimmich absent following a death in his immediate family — the story we reported this morning as Bayern confirmed Kimmich would miss the game — and Jamal Musiala still sidelined, the hosts hand their midfield to Pavlovic and the young Bischof against Rice, Guimaraes and Odegaard. That is the battle that could decide the night.
In goal at the other end, David Raya starts hours after telling Marca he would love to play in LaLiga one day — tonight, against Kane, is exactly the stage on which he has built that reputation.
So what do these lineups mean?
So what do these lineups mean? Bayern have gone bold: Davies pushed high on the left and Gnabry back against his former club say Vincent Kompany's side intend to attack Arsenal's unbeaten defensive record rather than protect their own formidable home run. Arsenal, meanwhile, have picked control — three central midfielders, Havertz's physical presence up front, and game-changers in Gyokeres, Eze and Zubimendi held back for the final half-hour. Whoever wins the midfield, where Bayern are at their most makeshift, will probably win the match.
Beyond the Final Whistle
Beyond the Final Whistle: team sheets rarely tell the whole story, but this one comes close — Bayern are betting on Kane and chaos, Arsenal on structure and a bench built to finish games. The Kimmich-shaped hole in Bayern's midfield is the single biggest fact of the night, and if Rice and Guimaraes cannot exploit it, they never will. Arsenal fans — has Arteta got the big calls right, and Bayern fans, can Bischof handle this stage? Let us know in the comments.
