Arsenal will look to get back on track when it takes on Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions league round of 16 match.
Arsene Wenger's squad was disappointed 1-0 in the FA Cup this weekend by Blackburn. Prior to the loss, the manager stated that he felt his team could have a chance at winning the entire tournament. "We have a big game on Tuesday against Bayern. If we get past them, then why should we not go further and win it?" said Wenger on Friday.
However, the loss to Blackburn had Wenger questioning his team's mentality. "Mentally, we are not capable at the moment of preparing in exactly the same way for every game," Wenger stated. "The top level is about consistency in every single game and that's what we couldn't show.
He added, "Maybe they still thought 'we're playing at home against Blackburn, we will win the game anyway' but it doesn't work like that. I think we have a great team but this shows we still have to show more maturity on the mental front. We have to understand what it means to win big games. It is vital for our season that we respond well to this."
Arsenal drew second place in Group B behind German side Schalke 04. Wenger's side defeated Montpelier 2-1 in the opener and followed it up with a 3-1 victory over Greek squad Olympiacos. However, during the two matches against Schalke, Arsenal lost 2-0 and drew 2-2. The team regained its form and defeated Montpelier 2-0 to secure a spot in the final round.
The Gunners will take on a Bayern Munich squad that has not allowed a single goal in its last five Bundesliga matches. However, Munich struggled in the early going of the Champions league. The team topped Valencia 2-1, but lost 3-1 to BATE Borisov in the second match. The team won its third match 1-0 over Lille, but failed to show the explosive offense that defined German soccer. In the fourth match, the German leaders pulled off a 6-1 win over Lille before drawing 1-1 with Valencia. In the final group match, Munich put on a dazzling offensive display in a 4-1 win over BATE Borisov.
Predictions: Arsenal manages a 2-2 draw.
Start Time: 2:45 PM EST
TV Info: Fox Soccer Channel