Mikel Arteta remained tight-lipped when asked about seeking advice from his old friend Xabi Alonso on how to defeat Bayern Munich. The Arsenal manager addressed the media prior to their upcoming Champions League clash against the formidable German team on Tuesday.
Despite being questioned about any potential communication with the Bayer Leverkusen boss, Arteta cleverly evaded the query, responding, “That’s an excellent question, but I won’t be providing an answer!”
Arsenal enters the match with an abundance of confidence, having displayed exceptional form in 2024. They have scored an impressive 33 goals, conceded only four, and emerged victorious in ten out of their 11 Premier League matches. Their sole draw came against Manchester City.
In contrast, Bayern Munich has struggled this season and is on the verge of relinquishing their Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen.
The German side, which includes Alonso in their ranks, previously defeated Bayern 3-0 in February. Furthermore, their manager shares a close friendship with Arteta.
Bayern suffered back-to-back losses in the Bundesliga, with a surprising defeat to Heidelheim sealing their fate in the title race.
Tuesday’s match presents Arsenal with an opportunity to seek retribution against Bayern, who dominated them with a 10-2 aggregate victory in 2017.
The haunting memories of that defeat linger for Arsenal fans as they prepare to watch their team at the Emirates once again.