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Bayern Munich are in north London to face Arsenal in the pick of this week's Champions League action.
It is a fixture that pits the Premier League leaders against the Bundesliga leaders, both six points clear at the top of their respective league tables.
They have been able to transfer their strong domestic form into Europe as both teams have won all four of their Champions League matches so far this season.
Take a look at The Athletic's live schedule this week.
For Bayern, the trip to the Emirates Stadium will be the toughest examination yet of their unbeaten record. Their season started with 16 straight wins and they are now undefeated in its first 18 matches, including 17 victories; the only blemish being a 2-2 draw away to Union Berlin at the beginning of this month.
The power is back on in Bavaria, and Vincent Kompany is the coach responsible.
When he was appointed in late May 2024, having just been relegated from the Premier League with Burnley, Kompany was painted as a panic hire in the face of dwindling options and predicted by some to be out of work by that season’s winter break. Eighteen months later, he is a Bundesliga champion, has had his initial three-year contract extended by another two, and oversees a team playing as well as any in Europe.
After lighting up the Premier League together with Crystal Palace, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are reunited in the Champions League, this time as opponents.
Plucked from the Championship by then-Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman for bargain fees, the pair thrived; becoming close to each other off the pitch as well as forming a formidable relationship on it.
There will be pride in the Palace hierarchy and dressing room of the pair’s achievements, and only a small amount of pain that they were not able to go on to find this success in south London.
International recognition has come for Olise with France and Eze with England, but it is at club level where they are thriving most. Eze’s hat-trick for Arsenal in the north London derby has written him into the club’s history regardless of the likely success he will continue to enjoy.
Olise has scored and assisted at an absurd rate for Bayern Munich, continuing his development into a world-class player. He turns 24 in December and there is clearly more to come.
From chess matches, table tennis competitions and hysterical joint-interviews, Eze and Olise have come a long way together. Tonight, though, they face each other for the first time — barring a six-minute spell on Boxing Day 2019 when Olise was introduced as a late substitute for Reading in their 1-0 win over Eze’s Queens Park Rangers.
Friendship will remain, but bragging rights currently belong to Eze after chess and table tennis success over his former teammate. Olise will be eager to enact revenge on the pitch.
According to the boffins at Opta, Arsenal are the overall favourites to win this season’s Champions League, with a 22.5 percent likelihood of lifting the trophy with the big ears for the first time. Bayern Munich aren't far behind, sitting with the second-highest odds at 14.8 percent.
Arsenal and Bayern are two of just three clubs (along with Inter) that have won all of their UCL matches so far this season.
It is already an iconic Arsenal image.
Shortly before the north London derby kicked off, the home fans unveiled an enormous tifo, displaying players past and present over the rallying cry, “These streets are our own.”
The tifo was the culmination of months of preparation from the club and supporters groups. It was paid for and facilitated by the club — but designed by fans for fans, with the help of some German manufacturing efficiency, some time in Arsenal’s Hale End academy, and an emotional rehearsal on the eve of the game.
Of course, all that work might have been swiftly forgotten had Arsenal failed to win. Arsenal duly followed through with a 4-1 demolition of Spurs, cementing the tifo’s place in derby folklore.
GO FURTHER
The story behind the making of Arsenal’s iconic north London derby tifo
This was their display before Sunday’s derby against Spurs — and it was a pretty impressive one coupled with fireworks before kick-off.
That’s as much as any fan can hope for, right? Although with the caveat that Kane has not yet begun discussions with Bayern over a new contract.
Kane, 32, also dismissed reports linking him with Barcelona, saying: “I have not had contact with anyone, no one has contacted me.”
Asked whether Bayern supporters had reason to worry about his future, Kane replied: “No, I don’t think so.”
GO FURTHER
Harry Kane says ‘very unlikely’ he leaves Bayern Munich this summer but no talks yet over future
A man who needs very little introduction, especially to Arsenal fans.
The former Tottenham Hotspur man and England captain has been in prolific form this season, leading the way across Europe when it comes to finding the back of the net.
The records keep tumbling during his spell in Germany since leaving Spurs for a fresh start in 2023 and now there is some good news from him if you’re a Bayern fan…
So, how is Eze lighting up Mikel Arteta’s team?
Well, our man Art De Roche has been taking a look at his star quality…
✍️ “A major part of Eberechi Eze’s appeal before he signed for Arsenal from Crystal Palace was his individuality.
“In an era dominated by stringent out-of-possession systems and prescribed patterns of play, Eze was one of few still playing as if he was having fun.
“In the three months since he signed, Eze has found different ways of getting into the area to help Arsenal.”
Dive deeper on the link below.
GO FURTHER
How Eberechi Eze’s shot volume and desire to ‘try things’ is transforming Arsenal
He came up trumps with a hat-trick in the north London derby against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday night, so can Eberechi Eze have a big impact again tonight?
The England international produced three fine goals, showing off his ability to create chances out of nothing with fine footwork and clinical finishing.
He is the man of the moment in north London.
Who is going to win this match? How will it unfold? And who are you backing to win the Champions League this season?
We want to hear your answers to these questions, as well as any thoughts, predictions or questions you have of your own!
Get involved by emailing us at live@theathletic.com and we'll feature some of our favorite submissions right here in our coverage.
Luis Diaz has made a strong start to life at Bayern Munich have joined from Liverpool in the summer, but he will miss out this evening after being sent off for a nasty tackle against PSG last time out.
Fortunately, the Germans should have former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry available after he missed his side's 6-2 win over Freiburg on Saturday.
Longer-term injuries are keeping Jamal Musiala (ankle) and Alphonso Davies (knee) out of action.
Mikel Arteta seems to be getting his injured players back at the perfect time as we edge closer to the busy festive period.
Wingers Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli returned to the bench on Sunday, while captain Martin Odegaard looks likely to be involved in the matchday squad this evening. Today's game comes too soon for Viktor Gyokeres but he is closing in on a return.
That leaves Gabriel and Kai Havertz as the two certain absentees, along with Gabriel Jesus who is back in full training having been out since January owing to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
They might have played one game fewer than 18 of the 36 teams, but Bayern Munich and Arsenal are still the top two in the Champions League league-phase table.
They — along with Inter — are the only teams with a 100 per cent record in this competition this season so, regardless of tonight's result, are in a very strong position to secure automatic qualification to the last 16.
Will either of the sides keep in tact their winning start to the European campaign?
There's a lot more where that came from with nine more matches on the way from the Champions League — here is tonight's slate:
5:45pm GMT
8pm GMT
There were nine matches in the Champions League last night and the pick of the action came from Stamford Bridge where Chelsea hammered 10-man Barcelona.
Fellow Premier League sides Manchester City and Newcastle had no such luck, as they both fell to disappointing defeats. Here are yesterday's results in full.
Emirates Stadium, London
One of Europe's great stadiums plays host to this evening's game and it has become quite the fortress under Mikel Arteta who could be the first manager to win a league title here.
Bayern Munich are no novices when it comes to big European nights, but the home supporters will make quite the racket later on.
There is no better place to follow all your favourites than here on The Athletic.
Our coverage of the 2026 World Cup is really ramping up, particularly with next Friday's draw just nine days away. And the games are coming thick and fast domestically as we edge closer to the hectic festive period.
Elsewhere, we will have comprehensive coverage of all the Thanksgiving NFL action tomorrow and the gripping conclusion to the F1 season.
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Here is how you can watch today's game based on where you live:
Primetime midweek viewing for this one as it kicks off at 8pm GMT.
For those of you Stateside, that's 3pm ET and 12pm PT.
Game Details
