Sunday’s defeat by Aston Villa has added jeopardy, and Mikel Arteta knows ousting Bayern will take some doing.

Arriving in blustery Munich, Arsenal aimed to prove they hadn’t lost their way. In football, a week can change everything. Just last Tuesday, Mikel Arteta’s squad received a hero’s welcome at the Emirates, hailed as favorites to overthrow a shaky Bayern Munich. But the landscape has shifted since then, leaving Arsenal caught in a limbo of uncertainty as they approach the rematch on Wednesday night.

Should Arsenal defy the odds and triumph over their depleted hosts, it would mark a historic achievement, granting them a place in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009. However, if Bayern capitalizes on home advantage and their storied pedigree, those ready to write off Arsenal’s season will be lining up to do so. At this stage of the campaign, even the slightest setback can feel like a catastrophe, as evidenced by the reaction to Aston Villa’s upset victory in North London on Sunday.

It’s undeniable that Arsenal faces a significant challenge in Bavaria, where Bayern typically exudes confidence regardless of the circumstances. However, dwelling on the potential consequences of their recent defeat by Aston Villa wasn’t on Arteta’s agenda. “Throw away the game we played a few days ago,” he asserted. “Because regardless of that result, it will have no impact on what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

Carrying any lingering negativity into the Allianz Arena would likely spell disаster for Arsenal. When asked about the shadow of last April, when their title hopes crumbled following defeat by Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League, Arteta acknowledged the potential for mentаl pressure. Drawing direct parallels seems a bit unfair, though; Arsenal is clearly performing strongly in the Champions League quarter-finals, even if the pursuit of Manchester City feels eerily familiar. However, if they stumble here, the narrative will undoubtedly swirl, and the manager confessed there’s no foolproof way to shield his players from external distractions.

“I can’t control that,” he admitted. “I can’t confiscate their phones and TVs or isolate them from the outside world. We didn’t lose anything last year because we didn’t win anything. First, you have to win to have something to lose. What we had was an incredible journey against the best team in the world. We’re not satisfied; we want to improve, and that’s the level we’re competing at.”