Bayern Munich have received a major quintuple injury boost ahead of the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Arsenal on Tuesday night.
The German champions - who are soon to be dethroned in the Bundesliga by Bayer Leverkusen - reunite with the Gunners following a series of previous knockout successes, some humiliating in nature.
Arsene Wenger's final Champions League campaign in charge of Arsenal ended with a 10-2 aggregate crushing in the 2016-17 last 16, and Bayern have won their last five games against the North London giants by a 5-1 scoreline.
Arsenal also fell to the Bavarians' superiority in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 knockout stages, although as Bayern prepare to cede their crown to Leverkusen in the German top flight, their hosts are leading the way in the Premier League standings.
As a result, optimism is rife among the Emirates fanbase that Mikel Arteta's men could complete their revenge mission this month, in turn setting up a tantalising semi-final with Manchester City or Real Madrid.
The first 15 minutes of our final training session ahead of #ARSFCB are live now ⚽
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) April 8, 2024
🇬🇧📽️ https://t.co/AONXtxkyBH#MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/PFJWQtROP2
Leroy Sane, Manuel Neuer among players to return to training
Confidence within Gooners only increased with Bayern's shock 3-2 defeat to Heidenheim at the weekend, where head coach Thomas Tuchel was without as many as nine players due to injury.
Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Noussair Mazraoui were among those to sit out the contest, and Tuchel admitted that all five would be doubts for the trip to the English capital.
However, all five were able to return to training with the German champions on Monday morning, and they are expected to make the journey to the Emirates for Tuesday's reunion with the Gunners.
Each member of the quintet could arguably come into contention for a starting role at the Emirates, where Neuer should displace Sven Ulreich if his adductor problem clears up in time.
Sane and Coman are also viable alternatives out wide to Thomas Muller, who made his 700th appearance for Bayern over the weekend, but one erstwhile Arsenal man should bomb down the flanks against his old club.
Former Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur trio to return to North London
© Reuters
Serge Gnabry was on the Arsenal books for five years between 2011 and 2016, but he scored just one goal in 18 matches for the Gunners before making a name for himself back in his homeland.
The 28-year-old has endured a troubling campaign with injuries, only managing 16 appearances and four goals in all tournaments, but he is fit and firing in the Bayern attack and has issued a stern warning to his former club ahead of the first leg.
"It's a do-or-die game - that's where we're usually particularly strong. Reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League would give us a huge boost. It's our big goal," Gnabry told reporters.
"I'm really looking forward to [playing Arsenal]. During the draw, I said it was bound to happen. I'm extremely happy to be going there again after almost eight years."
As well as Gnabry, Tottenham Hotspur's all-time scorer Harry Kane - who spent one year in Arsenal's academy from 2001 to 2002 - will line up from the off on his return to North London, but Eric Dier will likely start on the bench.
No Data Analysis info
