Eric Dier delighted to knock Arsenal out of Champions League as Tottenham loanee continues resurgence

North London loyalties remain intact as England defender enjoys Gunners heartache

Eric Dier was visibly delighted to knock Arsenal out of the Champions League, calling it “nice” seven times in the span of 12 seconds.

The ex-Tottenham defender was a vital part of Bayern Munich’s 1-0 win against the Gunners in the second leg of the quarter-finals on Wednesday night, and took extra joy in defeating his old rival.

Dier joined Bayern on loan halfway through the season after not featuring in Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou’s plans, and he has quickly become indispensable to manager Thomas Tuchel. He’s started 12 games since arriving in January, after starting only one under Postecoglou.

His Tottenham loyalties have clearly not diminished however, and when asked after the game by Sky Sports if playing Arsenal gave him any more motivation, smiling he said: “Yeah it was nice. It was nice to knock them out to be honest.”

Dier was complimentary of his team and manager after the game, and attributed the win to the squad’s dynamic.

"The spirit between us, you felt it from the first game at Arsenal and today I think we carried on the same way," Dier told ESPN. "Obviously, we know the quality in our team but we showed a great spirit and a great attitude.

"Over both legs, we had the quality and showed great commitment between each other. I think the manager set us up in a great way to nullify them and to then hurt them.

"I think it was really down to the camaraderie and for me a new thing to feel the experience of some of the players in the dressing room. They've been here before many times, and to see that and see the way they carry themselves in those moments in the game, it's nice to learn from."

Bayern recently triggered an option to sign Dier permanently, and he will now stay with the club until 2025, something he’s clearly happy about.

“For me, it's a privilege to play for a club like this,” Dier said. “And, you know, I feel extremely proud to play for the club. I love to play every single time, you know, to put on the shirt is special to me.”

Despite Bayern’s success in the Champions League, they have struggled domestically this term. For the first time in 12 years, they failed to win the Bundesliga, and they’re currently 16 points behind champions Bayer Leverkusen.

They lost the German Super Cup to RB Leipzig, and lost in the second round of the German Cup to third-tier Saarbrucken.

The Champions League represents their last opportunity for silverware this season, and a tantalising semi-final tie with Real Madrid awaits.

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