The last three times Arsenal have played Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the experience has been somewhat sobering.
In their most recent meeting, in March 2017 at the Emirates, Arsenal lost 5-1. A month before that, at the Allianz Arena, Arsenal lost 5-1. And when they met in November 2015, again at the Allianz Arena, Arsenal lost 5-1.
The German giants loom large in the repeating pattern of Arsenal’s most recent appearances in the competition, where it seemed to be their purpose to act as second-round cannon fodder for the elite of European football.