Bayern Munich of Germany on Wednesday whipped Arsenal 5-1 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League match at the Allianz Arena.
TheNewsGuru reports that Arsenal’s Champions League hopes now lie in tatters at the last-16 stage yet again following a first-leg battering at Bayern Munich.
The Gunners, who have been eliminated in the first knockout round of the competition in each of the last six seasons, twice by Bayern, not only conceded five goals but gave over 75 per cent ball possession in Germany.
Arsenal challenged very well until the break, thanks to Alexis Sanchez, who followed up his own missed penalty to equalise after Arjen Robben’s superbly-struck 25-yard opener.
However, after Arsenal lost Laurent Koscielny to injury early in the second half, Robert Lewandowski headed home from a cross before Thiago Alcantara scored twice.
Substitute Thomas Muller rubbed salt on the injury with a late goal to make it five.
It leaves Arsenal with a near impossible task in the second leg and heaps more pressure on manager Arsene Wenger, who now only has the FA Cup as a realistic source of silverware for what will go down as another failed season.
Meanwhile, in another round of 16 UEFA Champions league match also played on Wesnesday Real Madrid came from a goal down to beat Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The visitors took the lead after Keylor Navas was caught off guard by a superb Lorenzo Insigne strike inside eight minutes.
Karim Benzema headed the equaliser past Pepe Reina from Dani Carvajal’s cross 11 minutes later.
Toni Kroos put the hosts ahead early in the second half, before a stunning volley from Casemiro sealed the win.
Napoli will host the second leg on on March 7, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.