Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu returned to the Arsenal starting lineup following an injury layoff but could not prevent the English side’s Champions League quarterfinal exit as Bayern Munich claimed a 3-2 aggregate victory with their 1-0 win in Wednesday’s second leg.
Manager Mikel Arteta opted for Tomiyasu on the left of his four-man defence, and the 25-year-old kept Bayern winger Leroy Sane quiet at Allianz Arena, but Joshua Kimmich’s 63rd-minute header gave the German giants the decisive goal. Tomiyasu was hurt in early February while playing for Japan at the Asian Cup and had been limited to four substitute appearances in the Premier League since making his return at the end of March.
He was left on the bench when Arsenal drew 2-2 at home
in the first leg against Bayern on 9 April. Arsenal were playing in this stage of the competition for the first time in 14 seasons.
A “sad and disappointed” Arteta said Arsenal’s defensive lapses in the opening leg put them in a difficult position. “It was a tie of very small margins — in the first leg, we conceded two very poor goals, and that has a big effect in the tie,” he said. — Kyodo
