Champions League: Bayern thrash Arsenal 5-1
Arsenal face a tough task to qualify from Champions League Group F after being outclassed by Bayern Munich.
Advertisement
The Gunners suffered a torrid first half as Robert Lewandowski's header, Thomas Muller's snapshot and David Alaba's strike put the hosts 3-0 up.
Arjen Robben's first-time finish and a Muller breakaway strike came either side of Olivier Giroud's volley.
Arsenal are bottom of the group and six points behind Bayern and second-placed Olympiakos with two games remaining.
The Greek side's 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb, achieved via a 90th-minute winner, means that qualification is out of Arsenal's hands.
Mesut Ozil had a goal ruled out for handball when the score was 1-0 and Arsene Wenger's team improved after the break.
But Bayern's relentless pressing and ability to pounce on defensive errors exposed the visitors, who lost for a third time in four Champions League group games and equalled their heaviest defeat in the competition.
Centre-back Laurent Koscielny suffered a hip injury hours before kick-off and his replacement, Gabriel, was partly at fault for two of Bayern's three first-half goals.
And with a groin injury to right-back Hector Bellerin, the Gunners now have 10 players on the injury list.
Where does this leave Arsenal?
After defeats by Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos, the Gunners are attempting to become the first team since Galatasaray in 2012 to lose their first two group games and reach the knockout stages.
Beating Bayern at home a fortnight ago gave the Gunners optimism but they must now make up a six point gap to second-placed Olympiakos, who they face in their final group game on 9 December after hosting Zagreb on 24 November.
Two victories would also need to be aided by Olympiakos losing in their next game, at Bayern, who are yet to qualify themselves.