English Premier League and German Bundesliga leaders Arsenal and Bayern Munich have taken significant steps toward securing semi-final spots in the UEFA Champions League.
Both teams are on the verge of booking their places in the last four following impressive first-leg victories in Portugal and Spain.
Arsenal left it late to edge Sporting CP 1-0, with Kai Havertz netting the decisive goal deep into injury time.
The victory erases the Gunners’ recent setbacks—first, a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, followed by a 2-1 loss to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
With the first-leg win, Arsenal—who also had a 64th-minute strike by Martín Zubimendi ruled out by VAR—head into the return leg with a strong advantage in a competition where they have been impressive so far.
At the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Kylian Mbappé’s 71st-minute goal only halved the deficit as Bayern Munich held on for a 2-1 victory, thanks to earlier strikes from Luis Díaz (41st minute) and Harry Kane (46th minute).
Like Arsenal, the German champions carry a valuable advantage into the second leg at the Allianz Arena.
