Arsenal are aiming to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in over a decade this evening when the Gunners take on Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
After a draw in the first leg in north London, Mikel Arteta’s team will need to produce a strong performance to beat the six-time European champions and reach the last four.
Ahead of the clash, we’ve remembered five of Arsenal’s best-ever victories against German clubs.
Werder Bremen 2-4 Arsenal – 1999/2000 (UEFA Cup quarter-final)
Arsenal’s route to the UEFA Cup final in 2000 saw the Gunners meet Werder Bremen in the quarter-finals, who had qualified for the competition after a German Cup and Intertoto Cup double the previous campaign.
The north Londoners earned a precious first-leg advantage after a 2-0 win at Highbury, as goals from Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg put Arsene Wenger’s side in control. Ray Parlour starred as Arsenal outclassed Bremen in the return with the midfielder scoring a hat-trick and creating another for Henry at the Weserstadion.
Incredibly, Parlour had not scored all season but netted twice inside the opening 25 minutes in Germany, with his first a stunning strike arced into the far top corner with the outside of his boot. After a solo second, he then got down the right to tee up Henry for Arsenal’s third, after Marco Bode had pulled one back for the hosts.
Ray Parlour ????
⏪ #OTD in 2000, @RealRomfordPele ran the show! ⚽️⚽️⚽️@Arsenal | #UEL pic.twitter.com/n25oZacrxv
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) March 23, 2022
Rade Bogdanović responded instantly to Henry’s effort, but Parlour sealed the win on 70 minutes as he raced away to claim the match ball.
Arsenal 4-1 Bayer Leverkusen – 2001/02 (Champions League second group stage)
Arsenal’s big names combined to thrash Bayer Leverkusen during the now defunct second group stage in 2001/02. The Gunners boosted their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals with a comfortable win at Highbury, after goals from Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp.
Pires and Henry scored inside the opening seven minutes to put Arsenal in control against a talented Leverkusen team before Vieira made it three for the home side before half-time.
An audacious Bergkamp chip added gloss to the scoreline, as the Dutchman delightfully lifted a finish over Hans-Jörg Butt late on.
???? On this day in 2002…
Bergkamp brilliance against Bayer Leverkusen ???? pic.twitter.com/anIGQoNHeV
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 27, 2024
Ze Roberto scored a consolation goal for Leverkusen on 86 minutes, though it was the German side who had the last laugh. Back-to-back defeats against Deportivo La Coruna and Juventus in their final group games saw Arsenal crash out, while Leverkusen progressed to the final, eliminating Liverpool and Manchester United in the knockout rounds.
Bayern Munich 0-2 Arsenal – 2012/13 (Champions League last 16)
Arsenal bowed out of the Champions League with their heads held high, after almost pulling off a task Arsene Wenger had suggested might be ‘mission impossible’ pre-game.
A 3-1 defeat to Bayern at the Emirates had left the Gunners with a mountainous task to turn the tie around, but the north Londoners did not give up without a fight. Olivier Giroud’s third-minute goal increased optimism early on at the Allianz Arena, with Lukas Fabianski keeping out the hosts at the other end and Arsenal in the tie.
Laurent Koscielny scored a second for Arsenal with five minutes to go, though it was too little too late as the Gunners bowed out of the competition on away goals. Bayern went on to be crowned European champions.
Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Arsenal – 2013/14 (Champions League group stage)
Arsenal broke new ground to become the first English team to win at the Westfalenstadion after beating Borussia Dortmund in 2013.
Dortmund had reached the previous season’s final and had earned a 2-1 win in the first meeting between the teams in London two weeks earlier. However, Arsenal continued a formidable record on the road under Arsene Wenger to earn a hard-fought 1-0 win in Germany, courtesy of Aaron Ramsey’s header.
That night in Dortmund ???? @AaronRamsey making all the difference, #OnThisDay in 2013…
(And look out for some familiar faces wearing yellow ????) pic.twitter.com/furCkBpqcd
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 6, 2018
The Gunners had weathered an early storm as Wojciech Szczesny made a series of saves but held firm to claim an important win. Arsenal progressed from the group on goal difference after Dortmund, the North Londoners, and Napoli had all finished level on 12 points.
Arsenal 2-0 Bayern Munich – 2015/16 (Champions League group stage)
Arsenal bounced back from a nightmare start to their Champions League campaign to beat Bayern Munich and reignite hopes of reaching the knockout rounds. Shock defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos had left their hopes of progress in jeopardy, ahead of the visit of Pep Guardiola’s Bayern side to the Emirates.
Arsenal were second-best on the night and reliant on superb stops from Petr Cech with the game goalless, before scoring twice late on to seal a memorable win. Olivier Giroud turned in from close range after a mistake from Manuel Neuer and Mesut Ozil sealed the win after converting from Hector Bellerin’s cross.
It was a vital win for Arsene Wenger’s team, who snuck through the group stage after a Matchday Six win over Olympiacos.
Read – Key Arsenal pair face late fitness test ahead of Bayern clash
See more – Bayern hold ‘slight advantage’ over Arsenal in Champions League showdown