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Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466
Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal looks on in the Premier League game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, March 31, 2024. /CFP
Arsenal and Bayern Munich will play each other at the Emirates Stadium in London, England, on Tuesday in the first-leg game of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Both sides showed their will to win at the pre-game press conference.
"It is good to go there and speak sometimes [to the young players], but I am a player and a person, who if they come to ask, I will tell them," Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal said. "If I see something that I can tell and help them, I will do, but I don't think here [we are] kids anymore. Everyone played in the biggest stage in the football – World Cup, Premier League, Champions League now – so I think everyone is ready to help Arsenal."
Arsenal had been absent from the Champions League quarterfinals for over a decade before returning this season. Compared with many of his teammates, Jesus has more experience playing in Europe's top club competitions, having been with Manchester City when they reached the tournament's final in 2021.
Mikel Arteta, manager of Manchester City, looks on during the Premier League game against Brighton at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, April 6, 2024. /CFP
"I think we believe more as a team, as a group. Last season, we played amazing in the first part of the season until January. And then after we started to struggle a little bit. This season has been the opposite," Jesus told reporters. "If we could do the first part of last season and the second part of this, it would be an amazing season. But real life is different. Now I think because we passed this, now we are more ready, more confident, more mature."
Arsenal are currently leading the Premier League with 71 points, Liverpool are in the second place with the same points, and City are in the third place with 70 points. There are seven more games to play in the Premier League this season, which means "The Gunners" have a good chance of winning the domestic league title.
Thomas Tuchel, manager of Bayern Munich, attends the press conference ahead of the first-leg game against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in London, England, April 8, 2024. /CFP
By contrast, Bayern will have to watch Leverkusen celebrate winning their first Bundesliga title this season. It also means the German heavyweights will be very motivated to perform well in the Champions League to avoid a trophyless campaign.
"We have more experience in the Champions League. It's different in the Champions League compared to the Premier League. We want to use that to our advantage," Bayern's manager, Thomas Tuchel, said. "It's been at a high level so far in the Champions League. We've achieved our minimum goal."
Tuchel will step down after the 2023-24 season. He spoke highly of Arsenal but also expressed confidence in his players.
"Arsenal are currently the best team in the Premier League; all statistics prove that. They're in fantastic form," Tuchel said. "They're also the best team in Europe from set pieces. We're a little behind. We know about their strengths, how we want to hurt them."