Mikel Arteta already knows the one thing his Arsenal side lack after Champions League exit

Mikel Arteta and Thomas Tuchel were both asked what decides high profile knockout ties before Arsenal’s second leg with Bayern Munich. Their answer was identical — “moments.”

After 180 closely fought minutes, the reason Bayern are looking forward to a semi final with Real Madrid in three weeks time, is that they took theirs. Arsenal did not.

Conceivably they could have been out of sight in the first leg if Ben White had put away his chance to make it 2-0. Instead they were pegged back moments later when Serge Gnabry punished the most minor of headrushes from David Raya by finishing a clinical move. Equally in the second leg, Gabriel Martinelli could have edged them in front after finding himself free in the Bayern box. Instead Joshua Kimmich took Bayern’s only real major chance on the night from almost the exact same spot on the pitch to decide the tie. This is the difference between princes and kings on the European stage.

But is it harsh to judge Arsenal by Bayern’s standards? As their pre-match anthem “FC Bayern Champions of the World” would suggest Bayern see their presence at this stage of elite competition almost as a birthright. As intangible as it may be there is no substitute for that kind of mindset.

For all their grandeur domestically, Arsenal have only ever got past the quarter finals of the Champions League twice in their history. Across their four knockout ties in this season's competition, this has shown. the Gunners have failed to produce a single performance anywhere near the supreme levels of confidence that have characterised their Premier League displays in 2024.

This was the advantage Tuchel highlighted before the match, and something Arteta feels his side are still lacking.

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