What to watch in UEFA Champions League: Arsenal to test Bayern Munich's depth

With Jamal Musiala hurt and Michael Olise suspended, the Bavarians must lean on a thin bench against Mikel Arteta's loaded reserves who can take over in the final 30 minutes Oct 21, 2026 at 5:00 am ET • 7 min read Follow that, Wednesday! Tuesday brought an incredible 40 goals across nine games with big wins for Liverpool and Manchester City on the undercard. The main event did not disappoint either, Paris Saint-Germain scoring twice late on to beat Barcelona 4-2 despite the loss of Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to injury.Thank goodness then that there's plenty more to look forward to today. Real Madrid's record signing Yan Diomande is reunited with RB Leipzig while Inter look to recover from their shock defeat to Club Brugge, whose star striker will have many in Europe intrigued. The place to start, however, has to be the clash at the Allianz Arena.Arsenal test Bayern Munich's depthWhen these two sides met 11 months ago Arsenal delivered as emphatic a vindication of their recruitment policy as they have at any stage in Mikel Arteta's tenure. Missing all three senior center forwards as well as defensive anchor Gabriel, it was impressive enough that the hosts continued to roll out competitive lineups, all the more so when they lost Leandro Trossard with just over half an hour played. Arsenal did not just hold their own in strained circumstances, however. They improved as the game went on, particularly when Arteta turned to his bench. There's a reason why he calls his substitutes finishers. Riccardo Calafiori charged on to deliver a brilliant cross for Noni Madueke to score before a third substitute, Gabriel Martinelli, turned on the afterburners to fly past Manuel Neuer.A tight game broken open by Arteta's strength in reserve: it's the story of Arsenal since the start of last season. Twenty-eight goals across all competitions have been scored by substitutes, including winners against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest in the last fortnight. More than that, however, Arteta's dizzying depth ensured that his team was able to weather an injury crisis that robbed them of their first-choice frontline until the night before they won the Premier League title. As the season went on, standards dropped from that brilliant win over Bayern. Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze were no Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard, but they were good enough for Arsenal to do just enough in the Premier League. At the other end of the pitch, Arsenal have been without William Saliba all year long and are still probably the best defense in Europe. It certainly helps when his backup is England international Ezri Konsa. Bayern have few such insurance policies. They aren't really needed. Standards in the Bundesliga have not (yet?) dropped to those of Ligue 1 such that Vincent Kompany could get away with giving his strongest XI more minutes off than on domestically. Equally, the German game, with four fewer league matches and only one domestic cup, does not insist on flaying its top clubs like the English. So far 18 Bayern players are in three figures for minutes played this season, come the end of it you could imagine that only Serge Gnabry has joined their number. By way of comparison, Arsenal should comfortably hit 23 or 24 come May.As for now, the depth Arsenal have built up could be particularly impactful at the Allianz Arena. The Bavarians' limited numbers are stretched thinner with Michael Olise suspended and Jamal Musiala out injured. That means Ismael Saibari and Lennart Karl likely having to start, Gnabry perhaps the only senior forward who could come off the bench to change a tight game. Joshua Kimmich missed training on Tuesday for "private reasons" but is expected to play. If his involvement is in any way limited, it might be 21-year-old Tom Bischof to enter the fray. None of these are players unworthy of Bayern, nor are backup full backs Josip Stanisic and Nathaniel Brown. They just don't have the look of players who could change the game against top-level opposition. Meanwhile, Arsenal will probably be able to call on the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Martin Zubimendi, Ben White, Gyokeres and Eze. For the first 60-70 minutes this promises to be an even game. What follows could be where Arsenal win it. Viewing information -- Bayern Munich vs. ArsenalDate: Wednesday, Oct. 21 | Time: 3 p.m. ETLocation: Allianz Arena, MunichLive stream: Paramount+Odds: Bayern Munich +105; Draw +270; Arsenal +210Is Tresoldi this season's breakout striker?The sample size at an elite level is not exactly huge, but given his form in the Champions League, it is easy to see why there are multiple tugs of war for Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi. Wanted by Germany and Italy at international level, he has been linked with the likes of Inter, AC Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton. Their interest will surely not have been quelled over the last week. It is not every striker who manages to net a hat trick against Inter. That does not look like a one-off either. Since signing for the Belgian side at the start of last season, the 22-year-old has eight goals in the Champions League, two of them penalties in this season's competition and another in a qualifier against Rangers last. CBS Sports Nor is Tresoldi on a heater, indeed he is scoring at a little bit under his 8.8 xG. That's nearly an expected goal per 90 minutes and nearly four shots too. These are elite numbers against frequently elite opposition. Best of all, they pair nicely with impressive performances in his domestic league too. According to Wyscout, Tresoldi is averaging 1.03 xG per 90 in the Belgian league this season; watching some of the shots he gets, you see a player who seems to have that uncoachable poacher's instinct. While he might have more time to react against La Louviere than he would against opponents in Europe's top five leagues, buying attackers from Club Brugge has tended to pay off for the buying clubs. Lois Openda, Antonio Nusa, Igor Thiago and Christos Tzolis have all made the leap and done so quickly. Given that Tresoldi already looks like he can mix it with the big boys, you suspect the Champions League will be seeing a lot more of the young striker. In whose colors that might be is likely to be the subject of a hotly contested race.Viewing information -- Club Brugge vs. LensDate: Wednesday, Oct. 21 | Time: 3 p.m. ETLocation: Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, BelgiumLive stream: Paramount+Odds: Club Brugge +100; Draw +275; Lens +225Diomande's Leipzig reunionThe last few weeks at Real Madrid have been kind to Yan Diomande. Seeing the pitch with increasing frequency, the 19-year-old has looked like a player worthy of the praise garlanded upon him for his sparkling performances with RB Leipzig and the Ivory Coast at the World Cup. Well, that's the assessment of most observers. His manager sees it differently. After a purposeful run and ferocious finish earned Diomande a goal to go with his assist in Sunday's 4-1 win over Sevilla, Jose Mourinho said of the winger: "He has a lot to improve and a lot of room for improvement. He's young, naive, and an unfinished product. At Real Madrid, the level of demand is very high."Instead of playing with the number 25 on his back, he's playing with the 125 [million euros] they paid for him." Truly a man who has never seen a carrot whose qualities might not be better fulfilled with a stick. "He's growing and needs to improve his finishing," Mourinho added. "He often reaches dangerous areas and struggles to relax in the final moment, make better assists, and lift his head to see his teammates." CBS Sports In Mourinho's defence, he did then express his confidence that Diomande will fulfil his potential, comparing his teen winger to an early Vinicius Junior. That might be underselling Diomande somewhat. In Vinicius' first three seasons with Madrid the Brazilian scored 15 goals in 118 games. At the 11-game mark, Diomande has two with three assists as well. These are early days indeed, but starting out at 1.59 non-penalty expected goals and expected assists per 90 is impressive. Among players with 400 minutes across Europe's top five leagues, Diomande is the leader for successful one-on-ones at 4.74 per 90. Again, there are caveats around minutes, particularly those as a substitute, and allowances have to be made for the level of opposition. Then again, if this is Diomande at a level that does not satisfy his manager, imagine what he might be doing when/if he reaches Mourinho's exacting standards.Viewing information -- Real Madrid vs. RB LeipzigDate: Wednesday, Oct. 21 | Time: 3 p.m. ETLocation: Santiago Bernabeu, MadridLive stream: Paramount+Odds: Real Madrid -400; Draw +500; RB Leipzig +750