The first leg of this Champions League game went to the surprisingly tall and powerful-looking champion footballers from Germany

Bayern Munich may or may not succeed in their attempt to become the first team to retain the Champions League. But it is a possibility – and a strong one – that seems likely to remain alive beyond the second leg of this tie.

Bayern for all their possession were only adequately irresistible at the Emirates, and should have gone a goal behind in the opening ten minutes had Mesut Ozil managed to score from the penalty spot. But it is simply a measure of their coherence, that sense of top-down strength in reserve that a 2-0 away victory that saw the entire second half played out as a neck-cramping assault on the home goal at the Clock End could be seen as a moderate result under the circumstances. As it was, a year on from the 3-1 victory here that announced the shrilling three-month surge by this champion-team-in-waiting this was a case of Bayern unplugged, a Bayern that were no more than adequately irresistible as they pushed back a depleted Arsenal. It was a shame that the match was ultimately dampened by a debatable refereeing decision that saw Woijchec Sczesny sent off in the first half, as this was an agreeably widescreen occasion from the start on a cold, still North London night that saw the Emirates away section crammed with the usual booming throng of roving Bayern-ites and the entire stadium crackling before kick off with a sense of rare event glamour. Here they came, the world’s best football team in their austere deep grey-blue, as ever a surprisingly tall and powerful-looking bunch of beautifully composed world champion footballers. This Bayern team has a distinct, almost self-conscious air of unhurried all-star conviction about it, and they were on the attack immediately here, Toni Kroos, who doesn’t so much run as trot like a cosseted pony, drawing a fine leaping one-handed save from Szczesny. After which, briefly, it was all Arsenal. In fact, Arsenal started like Bayern have tended to start in this competition, producing in the first 15 minutes their snappiest, most relentlessly mobile, football since entering ahead of time that familiar English state of stumbling, teeth-gritting game-to-game fatigue that generally sets in some time around Easter.

Wilshere in particular was bright, twice picking out Santi Cazorla acutely before producing the nutmeg and nudged through pass that allowed Ozil to win so beautifully the penalty he would then miss so horrendously, sending Manuel Neuer the right way before effectively placing the ball on to his outstretched palm.

Bayern weathered the storm with a little luck and a familiar sense of strength in reserve. The champions have played six and won six since their winter break and played five fewer matches than Arsenal since the start of December, lending them a freshness that is vital to that hard-running, high-pressing, physically relentless style.

And this is really the key to this Bayern team, who can pass the ball like Barcelona, who can drop the pace and hide the ball as they did here in the first half after that early scare, Javi Martinez and Thiago Alcantara steadily conducting possession in the middle of the pitch and Lahm and David Alaba pushing fearlessly up the pitch from full-back. But who have above all the ability to surge, a collective stretching of the legs like a 10,000 metre runner destroying the field by producing from nowhere a leg cramping mid-race time.

Slowly they pushed Arsenal back as half time approached, with a Guardiola-hallmarked fluidity in the constant exchange of flanks by Arjen Robben and Mario Gotze. It was the familiar Robben dart inside from the right that led to Szczesny’s sending off, a straight red card for denying a clear-ish goalscoring opportunity The ball was running away from Robben.

The goalkeeper had no choice but to challenge, A yellow card and a penalty would have been enough. Alaba’s run up was loose and his side foot against the post always a little uncontrolled.

And so half time arrived with Bayern a man up and what had seemed llikely to be a midfield-fetishists dream all but ruined by the sending off. This was always likely to be a collision of midfields, not least given that this Bayern have at times resembled little more than one giant midfield (you feel it is only with a sense of sighing resignation that Guardiola agrees every week to include the appalling anachronism that is a goalkeeper on his team sheet). For all that Bayern fielded a team here that was respectfully orthodox, with Philip Lahm at right back and Mario Mandzukic re-installed as a real nine, and with a robust rather than dreamily fluid central midfield in which the battle between Jack Wilshere and Thiago Alcantara provided a fascinating game within a game.

Guardiola moved Lahm into the middle at the start of the second half, introducing a little extra drive and authority as the Bayern surge duly arrived. Nine minutes of relentless, smothering Bayern attack was enough, the goal beautifully struck by Kroos, taking a pass from Rafinha and very precisely persuading the ball into the top corner with his right foot. It is perhaps final proof of their riches that there could be a suggestion Bayern might think about letting this perfectly balanced, delightfully upright, multi-purpose attacking midfielder leave. Although, as the deep blue swarm continued to toy with Arsenal’s defensive line and Mario Mandzukic gave way to Thomas Muller, currently the world’s greatest substitute, it was tempting to conclude Bayern, right now, can pretty much do as they wish. They were, even in victory, a little disappointing here against depleted but game opponents, for whom Muller’s second goal towards the end came as a hammer blow.

• Bayern Munich
• Arsenal
• Champions League

Barney Ronay

theguardian.com