Kompany says 'losing is part of football' after Bayern's first defeat

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany didn't want to make a big deal out of it after his team suffered the first defeat of the season in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal.

"Losing is part of football," Kompany said after Wednesday's Champions League clash.

"It actually felt like we were getting better and better in the first half. But we didn’t come out well after the break, didn’t do the simple things as well as we normally do. That’s what decided the game for Arsenal," he added.

The Gunners opened the scoring in almost trademark fashion when Jurrien Timber headed in off a corner kick in the 22nd.

Teenager Lennart Karl became the first player to score against Arsenal in the competition 10 minutes later to complete a superb Bayern attack.

But Noni Madueke at the far post in the 70th and fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli in the 77th ended Bayern's run after 18 games without defeat, of which they had won 17.

"Sometimes you have to accept it when you lose. We’d won all our Champions League matches up to now, been on a great run. We just have to carry on doing what we’ve done up to now," Bayern winger Serge Gnabry said.

Martinelli's goal sealed the victory for Arsenal and he scored into the empty net after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was left stranded far outside his penalty area.

"We had to take more risks in that moment of the game. The pass was good, it wasn't too long. I saw that Martinelli was running against Jo (Joshua Kimmich). He's a bit faster than Jo, so it would've been a one-on-one and a big chance," Neuer explained.

"I tried to anticipate it, but he (Martinelli) took a touch, which was crucial - and in the end I wasn't in the right position."

Bayern dropped to third in the standings, three points behind leaders Arsenal, who are now the only team in the Champions League who have won all of their five games so far.

Next up they face St Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday.