Vincent Kompany would probably take the safer option and call this just another big Champions League night, but Bayern München's case is much stronger than that. Bayern have lost just one of their last 31 Champions League home matches, and their last home defeat in the league phase or group stage dates back to December 2013. Add Harry Kane's 15 goals in 22 appearances against Arsenal, and the scale of the task for the visitors is obvious.

Bayern's home record and Kane's history

The Allianz Arena has been awkward for visiting teams for years, and Bayern's opening home tie this season sharpened that point again. They beat Bodø/Glimt 5-0, a reminder that the ground still tends to favour them on European nights.

Kane's personal record against Arsenal is just as uncomfortable for the visitors. Fifteen goals in 22 appearances is the sort of return that makes him the obvious talking point whenever this fixture comes around. He has also scored in nine consecutive Champions League ties, which fits the mood around Bayern better than any pre-match platitude.

Olise's ban and Bayern's depth

Michael Olise is suspended for the match against Arsenal after being sent off in Bayern's draw with Viking. Vincent Kompany said, in comments to standard.co.uk, "It was our own fault. This red card was super dumb... you can see in [Olise's] eyes that he's sorry about it and that he regrets letting the team down."

The missing piece is a real one because Olise has 4 goals in 5 Bundesliga appearances and 2 goals and 1 assist in 2 Champions League appearances this season. Even so, Kompany also told bundesliga.com, "Wednesday's clash is set to be a demanding one, but one Bayern can certainly rise to with their fans behind them."

That confidence is helped by the options around him. Luis Díaz has 1 goal in 5 Bundesliga appearances, while Jamal Musiala remains out after withdrawing from Germany duty with a torn muscle fiber in his right thigh. Manuel Neuer is expected to be back in goal, although his place against Arsenal is not formally confirmed.

The match is set for 21 October, and Bayern will arrive with the better recent home record, the clearer attacking threat, and the sort of Kane numbers that keep Arsenal uneasy before the ball is kicked.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →