Eric Dier has now revealed the one ‘nice’ thing that Arsenal fans did during Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
The 30-year-old played the Gunners for the 16th time in his career so far this week. Dier had taken Arsenal on 15 times over the previous 10 years with Tottenham Hotspur but signed for Bayern Munich in January. He initially joined Der FCB on loan but it will become permanent.
Dier first featured in a north London derby with Spurs in September 2014 upon moving back to England that summer. He would ultimately help Tottenham to beat Arsenal five times and draw four meetings. But the Gunners enjoyed six wins, including five in the Premier League.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka punished Eric Dier to score against Bayern Munich
Tuesday night has added a fifth draw to Dier’s record against Arsenal after Leandro Trossard hauled their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich level on aggregate. Dier was also somewhat at fault for Der FCB conceding first to Bukayo Saka after only 12 minutes.
Saka punished Dier for inviting the 22-year-old to shoot inside Bayern Munich’s penalty area as the Arsenal product found the far corner. Dier also afforded Gabriel Jesus too much space to weave away from Matthijs de Ligt before assisting Trossard’s equaliser in the 76th minute.
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Arsenal fans relished Dier being the one who gave Saka the chance to break the deadlock at home to Bayern Munich given his past ties to Tottenham. The Emirates Stadium faithful also greeted the defender, plus England striker Harry Kane, with endless jeers throughout the tie.
Eric Dier ‘enjoyed’ the ‘nice’ hostile reception he received at Emirates Stadium
Dier has an infamous past with Arsenal’s fans, as well, after shushing them while celebrating his only career goal against the Gunners in December 2018. Tottenham went on to lose that north London derby 4-2. So, the 49-cap Three Lions enforcer anticipated a hostile welcome.
Yet while Dier and Tottenham’s all-time record goalscorer Kane expected endless boos from the lively home crowd as Bayern Munich visited Arsenal, the centre-half actually enjoyed it. The Allianz Arena will look to give Arsenal a hostile reception in their second leg on April 17.
“We were both expecting it, so it’s nice,” Dier said, via quotes by football.london. “It’s part of football. It’s something to enjoy.”
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