Exclusive: Gabriel Jesus reveals that Ben White is playing a crucial role in strengthening the partnership between Gabriel and William Saliba at Arsenal.

In a pre-match interview, Gabriel Jesus, the Arsenal forward, praised his teammate Ben White, referring to him as a “machine” ahead of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash against Bayern Munich. The first leg of the tie will take place at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, April 9.

This is a significant moment for Arsenal, as they haven’t reached this stage of the competition since the 2009-10 season. In contrast, Bayern Munich, who won their sixth European Cup just four years ago, will be looking to continue their success.

Bayern Munich boasts a formidable attacking lineup, including former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, as well as Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, and Jamal Musiala. However, Arsenal’s defense has been in top form, keeping four consecutive clean sheets and boasting the best defensive record in the Premier League.

Jesus expressed confidence in Arsenal’s center-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel, stating that they have been playing exceptionally well this season. He also highlighted the contributions of Ben White, who he described as always available, fit, and a hard worker. Jesus praised White’s ability to track back and forth, referring to him as a “machine.”

Jesus also mentioned the support of other players, such as Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Declan Rice, and Thomas Partey, who have all been instrumental in Arsenal’s success.

Having played alongside Leroy Sane during their time at Manchester City, Jesus acknowledged Sane’s quality and the difficulty of stopping him. He also recognized the talent of other Bayern Munich players, including Harry Kane, Musiala, Muller, Kingsley Coman, and Gnabry.

Jesus emphasized the significance of the upcoming match against Bayern Munich, acknowledging the history and quality of the German team. He expressed his excitement and determination to beat them.

Arsenal’s recent victory over Porto in the last-16 of the Champions League, which was decided by a penalty shootout, has given the team confidence heading into the quarter-finals. Jesus believes that the experience of winning on penalties will benefit them in future matches.

With Arsenal still in contention for both the Premier League and the Champions League, Jesus acknowledged the difficulty of competing in both competitions. He described every game from now until the end of the season as a final and emphasized the mental and physical challenges they face.

The Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 19:00 UK time on Tuesday, April 9. Fans can subscribe to TNT Sports through various TV platforms, including discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.