Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info for UCL Match
Only one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in UEFA Champions League history will prevent Arsenal crashing out at the last-16 stage for the seventh year running when they face Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
A humiliating 5-1 thrashing by the German giants at the Allianz Arena in the first leg has left the Gunners' chances of advancing to the quarter-finals hanging by a thread.
The best the north London side can likely hope for from Tuesday's clash at the Emirates Stadium is to salvage some pride, while Bayern will be confident of booking their place in the last eight.
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Read on for a look at the latest team news, a full preview and scheduling information for the European clash.
Date: Tuesday, March 7
Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT, 2:45 p.m. ET
TV Info: BT Sport 2 (UK), Fox Sports 1 (U.S.)
Live Stream: BT Sport Player, Fox Sports Go
Team News
Mesut Ozil should return for Arsenal having missed the Gunners' 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday due to illness, per the Daily Star's Konstantinos Lianos.
Long-term absentee Santi Cazorla remains sidelined, although Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger recently revealed the Spaniard could return before the end of the season, per The Sun's Gary Stonehouse.
Alexis Sanchez was controversially dropped to the bench for the Liverpool clash on Saturday, but he will likely be restored to the starting XI to take on Bayern, per Lianos.
For Bayern, Mats Hummels, Xabi Alonso, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery could all return to the starting XI having been benched for Saturday's 3-0 defeat of FC Cologne with the Arsenal clash in mind, per Reuters (h/t MailOnline).
Possible Arsenal XI: Ospina; Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal; Coquelin, Xhaka; Walcott, Ozil, Welbeck; Sanchez
Possible Bayern XI: Neuer; Lahm, Martinez, Hummels, Alaba; Alonso, Vidal; Robben, Alcantara, Ribery; Lewandowski
Preview
Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Bayern in both 2013 and 2014, and it seems highly likely the German giants will complete a treble over the Gunners for this decade on Tuesday.
The hosts' only real chance of an unlikely qualification to the quarter-finals is if Bayern have an off day.
| Feb. 2017 | Bayern Munich 5-1 Arsenal |
| Nov. 2015 | Bayern Munich 5-1 Arsenal |
| Oct. 2015 | Arsenal 2-0 Bayern Munich |
| March 2014 | Bayern Munich 1-1 Arsenal |
| Feb. 2014 | Arsenal 0-2 Bayern Munich |
Even then, it would take quite something for Arsenal to beat a team with as much quality as Carlo Ancelotti's by four or more goals.
Bayern have not been beaten in any competition since November and have won 15 of their last 17 matches.
In the three matches they have played ahead of meeting Arsenal on Tuesday they have beaten Cologne, Schalke 04 and Hamburg by an aggregate score of 14-0.
In contrast, Arsenal go into Tuesday's clash in poor form, having lost three of their last four Premier League games, including the defeat to Liverpool which pushed the Gunners out of the top four in the English top flight:
Wenger's side are at a low ebb at the moment, and it will take an enormous effort for them to even avoid another humbling against Bayern given how results have gone of late.
Failure to progress from the last 16 in the Champions League has been a perennial characteristic of Arsenal seasons in recent times, but they have always been able to qualify for Europe's top competition to try again.
They are now in danger of that not being the case when the 2017-18 campaign comes around, and that will likely be worrying Arsenal fans more than their inevitable exit from the competition on Tuesday.
Given the quality of Arsenal's squad and the fact they are at home, a victory against the German champions is possible for the Premier League outfit and could boost morale after a torrid spell of form.
However, the chances of claiming a convincing enough win to see them through to the next round are next to nil, and the domestic league and FA Cup will surely be Arsenal's sole focus after Tuesday, with Bayern marching on to the last eight.
