Bayern Munich's 6-1 demolition of RB Leipzig on Saturday delivered exactly the response the club needed after back-to-back draws had threatened to dent their early-season momentum. Luis Diaz, who had been struggling for form and facing mounting criticism, produced a hat-trick to lead a commanding performance that sent Bayern top of the Bundesliga on 14 points. The result restored confidence after the 2:2 draw at Augsburg and a 3:3 stalemate at Viking Stavanger in the Champions League, and it did so at the perfect moment with Arsenal arriving at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

The win, however, came with an unsettling subplot. Kompany sat largely motionless on the bench throughout the match, battling a viral infection and a hip injury linked to scar tissue aggravated by the illness. He skipped Monday training entirely and missed Tuesday's final session and media duties. Bayern's sporting director Max Eberl remained publicly optimistic that Kompany would be able to coach against Arsenal, though the extent of his involvement on the touchline remains uncertain.

Adding to the selection headaches, Michael Olise serves a suspension for the Arsenal match after his red card in Stavanger, while Manuel Neuer continues to miss out with a foot problem, leaving Jonas Urbig in goal. Arsenal arrive in form and ranked seventh in the Champions League standings, one place above Bayern in tenth, making Wednesday a pivotal night in the group phase for both clubs.