In the 76th minute of the match at Emirates Stadium on the evening of 26/11, Arsenal launched a quick counter-attack while leading Bayern 2-1. Midfielder Eberechi Eze launched a long pass to Gabriel Martinelli, who sprinted forward and controlled the ball with his thigh. Neuer had advanced near the halfway line, but Martinelli's first touch bounced the ball away, leaving the German goalkeeper unable to react. The Brazilian forward then dribbled directly towards the empty net, slotting the ball in with his right foot to seal a 3-1 victory for Arsenal.

Martinelli bypassed Neuer to score the decisive goal in Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Bayern at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 26/11/2025. Photo: Guardian.

This moment instantly made Neuer a subject of mockery on social media. TNT Sports commented on X: "Neuer abandoned on a deserted island".

"He prefers playing in midfield rather than staying in goal", responded user @__tutta14.

@EmenaIo sarcastically remarked: "Old but still adventurous. This isn't the Bundesliga".

Another account commented that Martinelli's first touch "turned Neuer into a joke".

Neuer has long been known for his "sweeper-keeper" style, often advancing to support the defense like a field player. However, this risky foray was deemed ill-advised, leading to Bayern conceding the decisive goal. The 1-3 defeat also cost the German club the top spot in their Champions League group, dropping them to 3rd behind PSG.

After the match, Neuer expressed disappointment with the result but acknowledged the reality. "Arsenal played better in decisive moments. We did not create clear chances", he stated. "In the second half, Arsenal completely dominated. I have no complaints about the result".

Arsenal's third goal.

Beyond the fans, European media widely criticized Neuer's poor performance and Bayern's subdued showing. Austrian newspaper Kronen-Zeitung described the visiting goalkeeper as having "a disastrous day", especially regarding his "disorganized rush" that led to the third goal.

Swiss papers Tages-Anzeiger and Blick both described Arsenal as "tearing apart" and "mercilessly punishing Bayern".

In England, media outlets called Arsenal's victory "a warning to all of Europe". The Sun wrote that the "Gunners stormed to the top of the group".

Before arriving in England, Bayern had scored at least two goals in every match this season. But yesterday, the German club only managed 8 shots and 13 touches in the opponent's penalty area. These were their worst statistics in a match this season.

According to Daily Mail, Mikel Arteta's team "taught Bayern a lesson". In Spain, Diario AS asserted that Arsenal "is the best team in the world". Marca, meanwhile, considered the "Gunners" the number one title contender.

After three seasons finishing as Premier League runners-up, Arsenal now leads both the Premier League and the Champions League. Conversely, Bayern suffered their first defeat this season. The "Bavarians" had previously posted images mocking Arsenal before the match, referencing the season they beat the "Gunners" 5-1 in both legs of the round of 16 in 2017. But this time, it was the reigning German champions who suffered a heavy loss.

Hoang An (according to Bild)