Arsenal draw Bayern Munich in last 16 of Champions League

After failing to wrap up first place last Wednesday, Arsenal were today rewarded with another round of 16 tie with Bayern Munich. The two played last season, with Bayern going through on away goals before going on to lift the Champions League trophy in May. Since then Pep Guardiola took over as manager, and added another dimension to Bayern's play, as well as two big signings in Mario Götze and Thaigo Alcantara. Bayern have, again, swept all before them, with the only slip ups coming in the German Super Cup and in the last game of the Champions League, where they took their eye off the ball and blew a 2-0 lead. They're not only as good as they were last February; they're even better.

Arsenal, though, have improved too, and while the side is going through a bit of a blip right now, it was the away leg at Bayern Munich that effectively started this excellent run of form in 2013. The defensive solidity shown set the platform for goals from Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny, with only the away goals rule leading to Arsenal going out. The first leg this time around, which will again be at home, will have to be far better, but one advantage for Arsenal is they have been in this situation before, and might have gained a lot from it.

The downside to the draw, of course, is that Arsenal's fixtures in February and March just got a lot more harder, but this is the price they've paid; now it's up to the players and the managers to rectify it.