Arsenal steps into Wednesday night’s Champions League spotlight without Viktor Gyokeres, as the Premier League leader hosts Bayern Munich in a showdown between two singular giants who have carved identical records into this year’s European table. Both sit on 12 points, both boast an 11-goal difference, and both arrive with the poise of teams who expect to win. And yet, in the middle of this heavyweight collision, one question has dominated the build-up: Why isn’t Viktor Gyokeres playing for Arsenal against Bayern in the UEFA Champions League?
The match itself needs no selling. The Gunners enter with a perfect record and a defensive line that has not conceded in Europe this season. Bayern travels to London having scored 14 goals in four matches. It is a collision of styles, of philosophies, of form — and of necessity, especially for an Arsenal side patching together its frontline.
The Emirates hosts a contest defined by dominance rather than survival. Arsenal’s 4-1 derby victory over Tottenham confirmed their domestic rise, while Bayern’s 6-2 demolition of Freiburg reaffirmed their attacking edge. Both teams have steamrolled through their Champions League fixtures — Arsenal with 11 goals scored and none conceded, Bayern with their ruthless scoring output.
History leans the Germans’ way. Recent meetings have seen the German champion claim four of the last five clashes, a reminder that psychological weight lingers. But Mikel Arteta’s squad has evolved into a machine built on possession, pressure, and near-flawless home form. No team in Europe has matched their composure at the Emirates this season. Their test, however, becomes more complex without the man signed to lead the line.
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Why is Gyokeres absent?
Up until the middle of the week, Arsenal supporters were left in suspense. A derby absentee. No involvement in training. No clarity from early team sources. But the truth, once revealed, is far simpler than the speculation surrounding it: Viktor Gyokeres was not called up because he is not yet fit enough to return from the muscle issue that forced him off against Burnley earlier this month.
Arteta confirmed this during his press conference, telling reporters that the forward remains a doubt despite being close to recovery. As he put it: “Really good both of them [Gyokeres and Havertz]. In the next few days, they will have scans to see if we can push them for the weekend.”
In other words, Arsenal is taking no risks with its marquee summer signing. The Swede’s profile explains the caution. Before his injury, he had scored 8 goals in 11 Champions League appearances, numbers that the club fully intends to preserve for the business end of the season. Missing the Bavarians is a blow — but losing him longer-term would be far worse.
