Kompany Seeks Arsenal Rematch After Bayern's 3-1 Defeat in London
27 November 2025
Match Report
Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich's coach, commented on the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the UEFA Champions League group stage, admitting Bayern did not find their rhythm in the second half while Arsenal controlled the tempo.
With the result, Arsenal move top of the group with 15 points, while Bayern drop to 12 and sit in third place.
Speaking to Bayern's official site, Kompany said: "Every team can lose, that’s football. I felt we started the first half well, but we conceded from a set-piece. Still, we regained momentum and drew level. In the first half, I believed we could win if we kept that level, but we didn’t find our rhythm in the second half." He added that Arsenal managed the match very well and exploited small moments in their favor. He also stressed there are no excuses and that the players are hungry for the next game.
"Champions League isn’t decided today. We haven’t lost anything in terms of qualification, but we must react and ensure this game helps us at decisive moments in March and April," Kompany continued.
Asked about lessons from the match, he replied: "I’d love to play them again as soon as possible, hopefully in the later stages after learning from this game."
Manuel Neuer, Bayern’s captain and goalkeeper, acknowledged Arsenal’s right to win after a stronger second half: "Of course it doesn’t look good. We wanted to win today, but looking at the second half, Arsenal deserved the win. We weren’t present in decisive moments and didn’t create enough chances, especially in the second half. The result is fair." He also explained the first-goal controversy and noted that set-pieces are a familiar trap, though there was no fault assigned to the officials by him.
On the third goal, Neuer said Bayern should have taken more risks: "The pass was good, not too long. I saw Gabriel Martinelli running against Jo (Kimmich). He’s a bit faster than Jo, so a one-on-one would have been a big moment."
Match highlights
Arsenal opened the scoring in the 22nd minute through their staple strength from set-pieces as Saka delivered a cross from a corner and Timber headed home, marking the 13th league goal of the season for the Gunners from such situations.
Bayern drew level in the 32nd minute when a long ball from Kimmich found Gnabry in the box, who returned the ball to a teammate to finish, the first goal Arsenal has conceded in this season's Champions League.
The turning point came after the break as a substitute for Arsenal provided the assist for the second, with MA (substitute) delivering a cross that was headed home inside the box to make it 2-1 in the 69th minute. Arsenal wrapped up the scoring in the 77th minute when Martinelli latched onto a midfield pass, beat Neuer to the ball and finished into an open net as the goalkeeper faltered in his attempt to clear.
Arsenal’s win widens the gap at the top of the table in their favor while Bayern must regroup and prepare for the rest of the group stage with a view toward late-season urgency.
Two light notes to close
Punchline 1: If football were a clock, Arsenal just set the tempo while Bayern kept checking the batteries. Punchline 2: Bayern players may need a map—Arsenal already found the route to their net, and it’s a shortcut labeled “set-piece masterclass.”
