Arsenal will not be “scared” by Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane once they face the German champions within the Champions League quarter-finals, says captain Martin Odegaard.
Kane has scored 38 goals since joining Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, netting 14 for Spurs in 19 games against the Gunners.
The first match at Emirates Stadium will happen on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. Polish time.
“[He’s] he’s a good player, we know his quality in the penalty area,” Odegaard said.
“I think we should respect him, but I don’t think we should be afraid of anyone and we should focus on ourselves.”
Kane is the highest scorer within the Champions League this season with six goals in eight games, equal with Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.
No one in Europe’s top five leagues has scored more top-flight goals than 32 this campaign.
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus called Kane “the best goalscorer in the world” and manager Mikel Arteta said “his numbers over the last 10 years are unbelievable”.
Despite Kane’s goalscoring achievements, Bayern are unlikely to secure a twelfth consecutive Bundesliga title this season. They are 16 points behind the leader Bayer Leverkusen.
As for Arsenal, they’re top of the Premier League on goal difference with seven games remaining.
The Gunners hope to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the primary time in 15 years.
Bayern last reached the semi-finals once they won the competition in 2020.
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal haven’t any latest injury problems as Jurrien Timber is on a long-term absence with a knee injury.
As for Bayern, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is a doubt, as are midfielders Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman and Aleksandar Pavlovic, in addition to defender Noussair Mazraoui.
Sacha Boey, Bouna Sarr, Tarek Buchmann and Noel Aseko-Nkili are likely to miss the match due to injuries.
MATCH THE FACTS
Directly
- Arsenal have lost their last three games against Bayern Munich by the identical scoreline of 5-1 (all within the Champions League), their combined largest margin of defeat in European competition (4 goals). The last match in March 2017 was also Arsenal’s heaviest defeat in all competitions on the Emirates Stadium.
- This is the fifth season of the Champions League wherein Arsenal and Bayern will meet within the knockout stages, with the German team advancing in all 4 previous editions (2004-05, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2016-17 – all within the last 16).
Arsenal
- This will be Arsenal’s first time within the Champions League quarter-finals for the reason that 2009/10 season, once they lost 6-3 on aggregate to Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
- The Gunners only advanced in two of their seven European Cup/Champions League quarter-final matches.
- Bukayo Saka has been directly involved in seven goals in seven Champions League appearances this season (three goals, 4 assists), probably the most of any Arsenal player. The last player to register more goals and assists for the club in a single season was Alexis Sanchez within the 2015/16 season (eight – three goals, five assists).
Bayern monachium
- Bayern lost the last two away matches within the Champions League knockout stage (3-0 against Manchester City and 1-0 against Lazio); they last lost three in a row away within the knockout stages between April 2009 and April 2010 (defeats to Barcelona, Fiorentina and Manchester United).
- Harry Kane scored 14 goals in 19 appearances against Arsenal; in his skilled profession he scored more only in matches against Leicester (20) and Everton (16).
Credit : www.bbc.co.uk
