UEFA Champions League 2023-24: Kimmich heads Bayern Munich past Arsenal and into semifinals

The Bavarians, enduring their worst domestic season in more than a decade after failing to win both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup, will next face Real Madrid in the last four.

Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich, centre, celebrates with teammates. | Photo Credit: AP

Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich powered in a 63rd-minute header to give the Germans a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday and send it to the semifinals for the first time in four years with a 3-2 aggregate win.

Germany international Kimmich timed his run into the box perfectly to connect with a Raphael Guerreiro cross and put Bayern, who had earlier hit the woodwork twice from a double chance, in the driving seat following a 2-2 first-leg draw.

The Bavarians, enduring their worst domestic season in more than a decade after failing to win both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup, will next face Real Madrid in the last four.

AS IT HAPPENED: Bayern vs Arsenal highlights,

There was little to separate the two sides in a cautious first half, with Bayern threatening early with two shots from striker Harry Kane, who had scored in the first leg.

Arsenal, bidding to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2009, was almost caught on the break in the 23rd minute when Noussair Mazraoui’s cutback after a quick turn of pace was palmed wide by David Raya. The Arsenal keeper also blocked a Jamal Musiala shot a minute later as Bayern had a brief spell of pressure in the first half.

The best chance, however, fell to Arsenal in the 32nd with Gabriel Martinelli’s first-time shot, after good work from Martin Odegaard, going straight to keeper Manuel Neuer, who set a competition record with his 58th clean sheet.

The host went close straight after the restart, with Leon Goretzka’s header bouncing off the crossbar before Guerreiro hit the post with a shot on the rebound.

But it gradually upped the pressure against a toothless Arsenal, and Kimmich charged into the box and drilled his header past Raya.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta made several substitutions, but it could not find a way into the German box and had no real scoring chances in the second half, with Bayern remaining disciplined and in control of the game.

The defeat caps a disappointing four days for Arteta’s team after its Premier League title challenge suffered a blow with its loss to Aston Villa on Sunday.