Arsenal Squad that Lost 5:1 to Bayern: Where Are They Now?

• Arsenal will face familiar foes in Bayern Munich in the Champions League
• The last time the two sides’ path collided in the competition was in 2017
• At the time, the Gunners were comprehensively beaten 10-2 on aggregate

Arsenal have been offered the chance to make amends for their past Champions League blushes against Bayern Munich.

On Friday, March 15, the Gunners learnt of their fate in the Champions League quarter-finals as they were drawn against the German giants who they will face on April 9.

It is seven years since the two sides last met in Europe’s elite competition, and fans with long memories will recall how the Gunners were completely annihilated in the round of 16.

Bayern, then led by a formidable attack comprising of Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Robert Lewandowski beat Arsene Wenger’s team 10-2 on aggregate, opening the gates to a long seven-year wait before the North Londoners returned to the competition.

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In the second leg, played at the Emirates, Lewandowski, Robben, Douglas Costa, and Arturo Vidal all got on the score sheet as the Bavarians replicated their score line from the first leg, as cited by BBC.

A lot has changed since that game, with all of the Arsenal players who were part of the 5-1 defeat leaving the club.

Sports Brief now looks at where Arsenal’s squad from that defeat are playing.

GK: David Ospina (Al Nassr)

Ospina is in the latter stages of his career and currently plays alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr.

Before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2022, the Colombian played for Napoli.

Hector Bellerin (Real Betis)

Bellerin’s Arsenal days are long behind him as he returned to his native Spain, initially joining Real Betis on loan before making the move permanent.

Shkodran Mustafi (free agent)

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The German centre-back is currently without a club after leaving Levante in 2023.

He departed Arsenal in 2021, joining Schalke in the Bundesliga where he played briefly before a move to Spain.

Laurent Koscielny (retired)

Koscielny was a key figure in Arsene Wenge’s squad in his prime.

After the defeat to Bayern, the Frenchman stayed with the Gunners two more years before leaving for Bordeaux in the French Ligue 1 in 2019.

He retired from professional football in 2022.

Nacho Montreal (retired)

The left-back wanted to continue playing professionally, but persistent knee problems forced him out of the game.

He also left Arsenal in 2019 before spending three years at Real Sociedad.

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (Besiktas)

Chamberlain was tipped to become a world class footballer when he was coming up at Arsenal.

He left the Gunners in 2017 to join an Liverpool team that was on the ascendancy under Jurgen Klopp.

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But his career failed to peak, although he was part of a successful Liverpool side that won the Champions League and League title in the six years he spent at Merseyside.

The midfielder,30, currently plays for Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig.

Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen)

The Swiss international spent seven seasons at Arsenal from 2016 to 2023 before securing a move to Bayer Leverkusen after falling down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta.

Interestingly, he is on course to win the Bundesliga with his new side.

Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City)

The Wales international left North London for Juventus in 2019. After three years with the Old Lady, he had a loan spell with Rangers in Scotland before signing for Nice where he played between 2022 and 2023.

He made an emotional return to his boyhood club Cardiff City in 2023.

Theo Walcott (retired)

Walcott left Arsenal for Everton in 2018 and made 77 appearances for the Toffees before leaving for his former club Southampton in 2020.

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He hung his boots in 2023 after a total of 418 club appearances, as per The Guardian.

Olivier Giroud (AC Milan)

37-year-old Giroud is showing the most longevity among all the players on this list.

After the Bayern humbling, the Frenchman left Arsenal a year later, joining Chelsea in 2018 where he won the FA Cup and Europa League and Champions League.

He left the Blues in 2021, joining AC Milan and becoming a Serie A champion in his first campaign at the club.

Alexis Sanchez (Inter Milan)

The Chilean also left the Gunners in 2018 and controversially joined Manchester United.

He was unable to replicate his form at Old Trafford and left United in 2020, joining Inter Milan on loan.

Sanchez is currently still playing for Inter, and is on course to win a league title with the club

Arsenal tipped to reach UCL final

Despite coming up against Bayern, Arsenal have been tipped to reach the Champions League final.

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As Sports Brief reported, a number of fans believe Mikel Arteta’s current side has the tools to go all the way in the competition.

The Gunners sit top of the table, a point better off than Liverpool and Manchester City.