Serge Gnabry admits Bayern Munich have a score to settle with Arsenal ahead of their Champions League clash on Wednesday, after losing at the Emirates Stadium last year.
Bayern and Arsenal will go head-to-head on matchday three of the 2026-27 league phase, with both sides having the chance to send an early statement against a potential rival for the trophy.
They also faced off at the same stage last season, with Jurrien Timber, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli scoring in a 3-1 home win for Arsenal, who went on to finish as runners-up.
In that match last November, Bayern had just eight shots, 14 touches in the opposition box and an expected goals (xG) total of 0.65, all three of which remain their worst figures in a Champions League match under Vincent Kompany.
But their historical record against Arsenal is positive. The Gunners have lost 53% of their meetings with Bayern in major European competitions (8/15), only posting a higher loss ratio against Barcelona (67%, 6/9) among teams they have faced at least five times.
And for Gnabry, who joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2011 and was with the club for five years, revenge is definitely a motivating factor.
"We were the two best teams at the time; unfortunately, we conceded one goal too many towards the end," Gnabry told reporters, recalling last year's game in North London.
"In a game like this, when two top teams face each other, it always comes down to who is on top form on the day.ย
"It's all about us being in better form. We do still have a bit of a score to settle from last season."
"๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ, ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ค ๐ฉ๐ค๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐จ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง, ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐คโ๐จ ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐ค๐ง๐ข ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ. ๐๐ฉโ๐จ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ช๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐๐ค๐ง๐ข ๐ฉ๐ค๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ง๐ค๐ฌ. ๐๐ ๐๐ค ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐จ๐๐๐จ๐ค๐ฃ."
โ FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) October 20, 2026
Wednesday's game will also put Gnabry in the curious position of going up against a manager who he played alongside, with Arteta spending the final few years of his playing career at Arsenal when the Germany international was there.ย
And Gnabry says Arteta's leadership skills always stood out, noting: "He was a leader in the team back then, and our captain too.ย
"He spoke a lot with me and with Hector Bellerin as well, and he was always willing to listen โ that shows what sort ofย person he is.ย
"He led the team to that great success last season, and he's doing a very good job.
"It's always a special match against a former club. I grew up there and I'm really looking forward to it.ย
"It's a bit strange to play against a coach you used to play alongside yourself! But we want to win โ thatโs what it's all about. I'm looking forward to the match."
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