Bayern Munich midfielder, Thiago Alcantara, has tipped Arsenal, as well as his own team, to progress through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

This season’s Champions League draw saw Arsenal grouped with Bayern, Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb in group F.

Although you’d expect the Gunners to finish in the top two of the group, we’ve shown in the past that we’re more than capable of screwing it up.

Bayern’s Thiago Alcantara doesn’t think we will and has predicted both the Bundesliga team and Arsenal to finish top.

“The draw is good for us and we should be able to get through this phase,” he said. “Arsenal are an excellent team and Olympiacos and Zagreb have strong teams and are made difficult by their stadiums.

“But it would be a big surprise if Bayern and Arsenal did not get through. There are harder groups than this.”

Our run ins with the German champions seem to have become an annual event and it’s now developed into a bit of a joke. However, if we’re going to be successful in the competition, we would have had to face them, or someone like them, at some point.

Although we should at least beat Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb, a victory against Bayern in both legs, while difficult, would be a huge statement of intent. In recent seasons, we appear to be more successful on the road against the German teams. If we can get a home win on top of this, it’d be the icing on the cake.