LONDON (AP) — Top of the Premier League. Top, with a 100% record, in the Champions League.
Arsenal is the best team in Europe right now, no matter what manager Mikel Arteta says.
Click to Gallery
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta gestures from the touchline during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Noni Noni Madueke, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Bayern's Harry Kane reacts after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta arrives for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Noni Madueke celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP)
A 3-1 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday left Arsenal as the only team with maximum points in the Champions League after five games, while also ending the German club’s unbeaten start to the season in all competitions.
“They had an incredible match against, in my opinion, the best team in Europe,” Arteta said of his players. “Individually we were immense to resolve all the challenges that this team brings to the table.”
Second-half goals from substitutes Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal the statement win, after Jurrien Timber’s header was canceled out by a great team goal finished off by 17-year-old Bayern star Lennart Karl. That was the first goal Arsenal conceded in the competition this season.
Just three days ago, Arsenal was celebrating a 4-1 win over north London rival Tottenham at Emirates Stadium. Next comes a visit to Chelsea, the closest challenger in the Premier League — albeit one six points behind in second place.
“We are so pleased what we have seen, the energy we created in the stadium, what the team transmit, the energy that we bring, the quality we play with, it’s incredible,” Arteta said. “We have to maintain that because it’s still very early and unfortunately every three days you have to do it — that’s the beauty of it as well.”
It was Bayern’s first loss in 19 games this season. Making it all the sweeter for Arsenal was Harry Kane, a former favorite at Tottenham, failing to score.
“They are a top side … You see the difficulty of that (beating Bayern) and we managed to do that — in one game. That shows the capacity we have,” Arteta said.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta gestures from the touchline during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Noni Noni Madueke, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Bayern's Harry Kane reacts after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta arrives for the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Noni Madueke celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Bayern Munich in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Defending champion Arsenal advanced to the Women’s Champions League semifinals despite a 1-0 loss to Chelsea in a London derby on Wednesday.
With a 3-1 home victory in the first leg of the quarterfinal last week, Arsenal reached the last four on a 3-2 aggregate score and will next face either Wolfsburg or Lyonnes.
Sjoeke Nüsken scored for Chelsea from close rage in the fourth minute of stoppage time at Stamford Bridge.
In the dramatic last few minutes, Veerle Buurman hit the post for Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar saved a goal-bound header by Nüsken.
Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor received a red card in the dying seconds of the match.
The home team was pressuring Arsenal from the start with forward Sam Kerr particularly posing a threat. Kerr missed the first leg because she was playing for Australia at the Asian Cup.
Earlier, Bayern Munich rallied with two late goals in three minutes to beat Manchester United 2-1 and advance to the semifinals on a 5-3 aggregate score.
Glódís Viggósdóttir started the rally in the 81st with a header after a corner kick, and Linda Dallmann fired from inside the area after another corner to send Bayern to its first semifinal since 2021.
Making its debut in the quarterfinals, United traveled to Germany after losing to Bayern Munich 3-2 in the opening leg at Old Trafford.
The visitors dominated the first half with Melvine Malard putting them up 1-0 after 11 minutes. The France forward used a blunder by Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic to score into an empty net, and equalize the aggregate score at 3-3.
The German powerhouse applied pressure in the second half, but Manchester’s defense led by American goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce held firm until Viggósdóttir struck.
Bayern will face either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the last four.
The remaining two quarterfinals are Thursday: Barcelona hosts Real Madrid and leads 6-2 from the first leg; Wolfsburg takes a 1-0 lead to Lyon.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Arsenal's Alessia Russo, left, shoots the ball during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Arsenal in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Chelsea's Veerle Buurman reacts following defeat in the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Arsenal in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Arsenal's Alessia Russo, left, and Chelsea's Ellie Carpenter battle for the ball during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Arsenal in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Bayern's Linda Dallmann, left, celebrates with Bayern's Giulia Gwinn after she scores her side's second goal during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Manchester United's goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce leaps for the ball during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
The ball lands behin Manchester United's goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce bottom left to make it 1-1 during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)
Manchester United's Melvine Malard, second right, celebrates scoring her side's frst goal during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Bayern's Glodis Viggosdottir, centre rear, scores her sides first goal during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius, left, celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Women's Champions League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea in London, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
