A 2-2 draw with a late twist

Bayern Munich and Arsenal drew 2-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday, 21 October. Eberechi Eze put Arsenal ahead in the 25th minute, but Bayern had levelled at 1-1 by half-time and later turned the match to 2-1 before Arsenal drew level late on. Klopp watched the game from the stands and was then interviewed by DAZN during the break. Bayern have five points from three matches, while Arsenal have two more.

Klopp questions Bayern's defensive plan

In the half-time interview, Klopp said he had still not fully worked out what Bayern do when they lose the ball, because they switch between man-marking, no man-marking and a hybrid system within one match. He singled out Harry Kane, who he said often drops deep into midfield pressing rather than sitting in a deep block. Klopp linked Arsenal's opening goal to Josip Stanisic lifting the offside trap without any pressure on the ball, which he said was the element he was missing.

“I still have not fully understood what Bayern do when they lose the ball. But I want to keep learning.”

Klopp added, with a laugh, that he was not the pope of football and that everyone could do what they wanted, but that he had not fully got to the bottom of Bayern's approach. The comments were unusual for a national team coach to make about the coach of the country's biggest club on live television.

Kompany declines to engage

At the post-match press conference, a German reporter asked Kompany to explain Bayern's out-of-possession instructions and referred to Klopp's comments about Kane. Kompany did not take up the question and moved on to the next one. He praised Kane instead, referring to an assist the striker had provided and to a penalty Bayern had won. Kompany had been ill with a virus in the days before the match and said he had not listened to his body the previous week.

Kimmich and the national team

Joshua Kimmich missed the match because of a death in his family, his father, who was 57. During the same interview, Michael Ballack asked Klopp about the midfield pairing of Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tom Bischof, who are also candidates for the national team's centre. Klopp called them top partners, but said Kimmich would always have a place in his team.

“Jo Kimmich is an outstanding midfielder who will always have a place in this team.”

Klopp considered the question about Pavlovic and Bischof on that day to be tasteless, given Kimmich's bereavement. The debate followed Oliver Kahn's comment that Kimmich was no longer automatically a starter in the defensive midfield. Klopp had selected Kimmich for two of the four Nations League matches, although Kimmich wanted to play in all of them. Klopp also said he was watching in-form Under-21 international Nicolò Tresoldi of Club Brugge and Werder veteran Niclas Füllkrug as options for the attack.

What comes next for Bayern

Bayern are under pressure in the race for a top-eight finish and a direct place in the last 16, with Arsenal ahead by two points. Michael Olise, who is suspended, also missed the match, and the club faces a difficult away game at Atlético Madrid next. Kompany's refusal to respond to Klopp left the tactical question unanswered, while Klopp said he would keep studying Bayern's approach.