sport news Stars happily IGNORING Thomas Tuchel, chaos behind the scenes and dreadful ... trends now
There was a time not so long ago when the prospect of facing Bayern Munich would have left Arsenal paralysed with fear.
On four occasions between 2013 and 2017, the Germans made cannon fodder of the Gunners at the Champions League last-16 stage with the results becoming gradually more awkward.
The last three meetings between the two sides have ended in 5-1 Bayern wins, the gulf in class between the genuine European heavyweight and the Premier League's perennial also-rans plain to see.
No more. As Arsenal and Bayern resume their rivalry on Tuesday night, this time in the quarter-finals, the tables have been turned.
No longer will Arsenal be afraid of big bad Bayern, no longer will the tie be a foregone conclusion. Given the season of strife and crisis the Bavarian are going through, Arsenal are rightly favourites.
Arsenal were humiliated by Bayern Munich the last time the sides met back in 2017
The Germans thrashed Arsene Wenger's sorry side 5-1 in both legs of their last-16 encounter
Now the tables have turned, however, with Bayern the ones in turmoil and Arsenal fancied
While Tuesday's visitors to the Emirates Stadium have Harry Kane - with 38 goals in 37 games during an exceptional debut season - and the muscle memory of greatness, they are a shadow of previous incarnations.
The 2023-24 season has been most unlike Bayern, with turmoil in the boardroom, in the dug-out and on the pitch as they stare down the barrel of a first trophyless season since 2012.
After Bayern chucked away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Heidenheim on Saturday, they sit 16 points adrift of Xabi Alonso's still-unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
Their coronation, the first team other than Bayern to win the title in 12 years, is simply a matter of time. Bayern may not even finish second, with Stuttgart breathing down their necks.
They suffered a humiliating DFB-Pokal exit to third-tier Saarbrucken in November, leaving the Champions League as their only hope of salvation. Not that anybody considers them among the favourites.
Ex-Tottenham man Kane - who has 14 goals in 19 previous games against Arsenal - has been exempted from criticism because of his record-setting goal return.
Few others in the Bayern side are immune amid allegations they stopped playing for manager Thomas Tuchel - set to leave in the summer - quite a long time ago.
There have been tensions between Tuchel and his squad essentially from the outset after he replaced Julian Nagelsmann just over 12 months ago.
Harry Kane has scored 38 goals during his debut Bayern season - but could win nothing
Thomas Tuchel is on his way this summer but that could be sooner if they lose to Arsenal
The Gunners look in excellent form as they push for success in the Premier League and Europe
When Bayern fired their chief executive Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic at the end of last season - those who'd appointed
