Declan Rice Urges Caution After Arsenal’s Victory Over Bayern Munich

LONDON — Declan Rice has advised Arsenal not to become overly confident following their 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, a result that preserved their perfect start to the Champions League group stage.

The Gunners achieved their fifth consecutive win in European competition this season, with goals from Jurriën Timber, Noni Madueke, and Gabriel Martinelli leading to Bayern’s first defeat across all competitions this season.

Teenager Lennart Karl equalized for Bayern in the 32nd minute, but substitutes Madueke and Martinelli turned the tide in Arsenal’s favor during a remarkable second half, securing their position at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables.

Rice remarked, “Look at Bayern Munich this season; they have been the best team in Europe. This was probably the toughest game tactically we have faced this season. Their approach is exceptionally well-executed.

“In the second half, we went man-to-man and I thought we were outstanding. The manager is very pleased with our performance. It was a memorable European night.

“Yes, it definitely feels different from last season. We have many leaders within the team. We are taking it one game at a time. There is a strong desire to win every match, but there is still a long way to go—let’s not get carried away.”

Arsenal were eliminated by Bayern at the quarterfinal stage two seasons ago, and manager Mikel Arteta noted, “We are different now, and so are they. This is a different stage in the competition. There were very fine margins in that previous tie as well, which contributed to our exit. However, that belongs to the past. We aim to learn from it, improve, and demonstrate our growth.

“We have certainly been consistent in the competition thus far, but this is just the beginning.”