ON a brass-monkeys night in Bavaria, Arsenal froze and exited the Champions League as a deep chill swept through a promising season.
A bullet header from Josh Kimmich was enough to send Harry Kane and his Bayern Munich mates through to the semi-finals at the expense of Mikel Arteta’s side.
GettyJoshua Kimmich celebrates after breaking the deadlock against Arsenal[/caption]
ReutersHe raced through three Gunners defenders to head home on 63 minutes[/caption]
Sunday’s home defeat by Aston Villa saw them cede their advantage in a gripping Premier League title race and four days later arrived an even more serious blow.
And however much Arteta has transformed this club in the past few seasons, this was as a case of ‘same old Arsenal’.
This was the fifth time in the club’s last six Champions League campaigns that they have been knocked out by Bayern.
Here, Arsenal were assured on the ball but lacking penetration in attack.
There will be stronger calls now for an authentic centre-forward to be signed in the summer because this is a team which lacks very little else.
Just like Villa, this was another case of Arsenal coming up marginally short against quality opposition.
It wasn’t a choke, it was a decent effort from a group of players in their first Champions League campaign together.
And this is a competition which demands experience and nous. Clubs normally have to knock on the door for a good few years before they reach a final, let alone lift Old Big Ears.
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For England captain Kane, and former Tottenham team-mate Eric Dier, this kept alive hopes of silverware in their maiden campaign as Bayern players and gave their old club’s rivals a welcoming kick in the knackers too.
Arsenal had been gubbed 5-1 on the previous two visits here, many supporters still have nightmares about this intimidating spaceship sponsored by an insurance company.
But that was a different Arsenal, the flimsy Arsenal of Arsene Wenger’s latter years.
The Gooners up in the nosebleed seats were making plenty of racket, fortified against the last icy blasts of Alpine winter by copious local beer.
And if anything there was even more pressure on Bayern than Arsenal.
While Arteta’s men are still in the Premier League title race, Bayern had conceded the Bundesliga crown to Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend and were staring down the barrel at the unthinkable scenario of a season without a trophy.
Thomas Tuchel is on his way this summer and a rebuild is in the offing.
Arteta restored Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli to his forward line-up, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard dropping out.
Takehiro Tomiyasu made his first start since April in place of Oleksandr Zinckenko at left-back, with Jorginho back to stiffen the midfield.
At kick-off the Allianz was an assault on the senses – they played through an acrid pyrotechnic fog with Bavarian chanting and drumming clattering at their eardrums.
It was cagey, respectful, low-tempo stuff with Arsenal well-drilled and unflustered.
Occasionally, though Leroy Sane would hare past Tomiyasu or Martinelli would go on a dribble.
Midway through the half, Bayern found some joy on the left, Raphael Guerriero darting through and feeding full-back Noussair Mazraoui, who shot narrowly wide across goal.
Soon, David Raya was clawing away a Jamal Musiala shot but Arsenal swiftly tested Bayern’s keeper – Manuel Neuer having to be alert to keep out a deflected Martin Odegaard effort.
Then, Arsenal probed effectively and Odegaard centred for Martinelli, who shot too close to Neuer.
It was composed stuff from Arteta’s side, with no obvious after-effects from Sunday’s defeat by Aston Villa.
There was uproar when Saka received treatment after taking a ball in the face and Arteta held an impromptu tactical time-out. Bayern tried to take a throw-in quickly in an attempt to score unopposed, but ref Danny Makkelie was having none of it.
Arsenal were having some success by pressing Bayern, snapping at their ankles as they tried to play out from the back, but when they won possession the final ball was never right.
Kane had shot wide a couple of times but the England captain was struggling to get involved, well marshalled by William Saliba.
Straight after the interval, Bayern were at Arsenal’s throats – striking the woodwork twice.
First Leon Goretzka’s header crashed against the top of the post, then Guerriero’s shot was deflected onto the upright by Ben White.
It was the closest we’d come to a goal by some distance and it was a severe warning to Arsenal.
Arteta’s side were having most of the ball but were unable to break down a tight Bayern defence and then, on 63 minutes, the Germans seized the lead.
Raya had flapped at a cross from the right and then Guerreiro delivered one from the left with Kimmich escaping the attentions of Martinelli to score with a stooping header.
Arsenal had conceded twice in quick succession in the home leg, then again against Villa, and they almost did so again.
Guerreiro, a proper menace, cut back low but Sane blazed his shot miles over when he could have put the tie to bed.
Arteta sent on Jesus and Trossard for Jorginho and Martinelli but soon Sane was nutmegging Tomiyasu and Saliba was in the last ditch to keep Bayern out.
Everyone went up for a late corner as Arsenal had one final throw of the dice in additional time, but it came to nothing as their European hopes ended.