Arsenal Captain Odegaard Not Worried About Harry Kane Ahead of Bayern Clash
As Arsenal prepares to face Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Captain Martin Odegaard has expressed that the team will not fear Bayern striker Harry Kane. Kane, who joined Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, has been in sensational form this season, scoring 38 goals so far. However, Odegaard believes that Arsenal should respect Kane’s quality but not fear him, instead focusing on their own game.
Kane is currently joint top of the Champions League scorers chart with six goals in eight matches, alongside Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Antoine Griezmann. Moreover, he has been in outstanding form in the Premier League, with 32 top-flight goals this campaign, the most across Europe’s top five leagues.
Despite Kane’s impressive goal-scoring record, Bayern is unlikely to secure their 12th consecutive Bundesliga title this season, trailing leaders Bayer Leverkusen by 16 points. Meanwhile, Arsenal sits at the top of the Premier League on goal difference with seven games remaining. The Gunners are hoping to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 15 years.
Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel recognizes Arsenal’s current form and believes they are the best team in the Premier League. Tuchel acknowledges that Arsenal will provide a massive test for his side but remains confident in Bayern’s strengths and experience in the Champions League. He also highlights Kane’s experience against Arsenal as a key factor that could help Bayern perform well in the match.
In terms of team news, Arsenal has no fresh injury concerns, while Bayern might have some players unavailable due to injuries. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is a doubt, along with midfielders Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, and Aleksandar Pavlovic, as well as defender Noussair Mazraoui. Sacha Boey, Bouna Sarr, Tarek Buchmann, and Noel Aseko-Nkili are also likely to miss the match due to injuries.
Looking at the head-to-head record, Arsenal has lost their past three games against Bayern Munich by a 5-1 scoreline, their joint biggest margin of defeat in European competition. Additionally, this is the fifth Champions League campaign in which Arsenal and Bayern will meet in the knockout stages, with Bayern progressing on all previous four occasions.
For Arsenal, this will be their first quarter-final game in the Champions League since 2009-10 when they lost 6-3 on aggregate against Barcelona. Bukayo Saka has been instrumental for Arsenal in this season’s Champions League, directly involved in seven goals in seven appearances. The last Arsenal player to register more combined goals and assists in a single campaign was Alexis Sanchez in 2015-16.
On the other hand, Bayern Munich has lost their past two away games in the knockout stages of the Champions League, and they will be looking to avoid a third consecutive away defeat. Harry Kane has an impressive record against Arsenal, scoring 14 goals in 19 appearances against them.
As the stage is set for this highly-anticipated quarter-final clash between Arsenal and Bayern Munich, all eyes will be on how both teams perform. Can Arsenal overcome their recent struggles against Bayern and secure a spot in the semi-finals? Will Harry Kane continue his goal-scoring spree against his former rivals? Football fans around the world eagerly await the answers to these questions as the exciting Champions League action unfolds.