Jonathan Tah has heaped praise on Kai Havertz ahead of Bayern Munich’s Champions League meeting with Arsenal, claiming the forward is ‘still underestimated’ and ‘doesn’t get the appreciation he deserves’.

The Allianz Arena stages what promises to be a compelling group-stage clash between heavyweights Bayern and Arsenal, two of the favourites to win this year’s competition.

The Gunners came within touching distance of bringing their wait for European glory to a halt last season as they saw off Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid to face off against Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

Havertz struck in only the sixth minute to get Mikel Arteta’s men off to a dream start in Budapest, only for Ousmane Dembele to equalise from the spot before the holders prevailed in a nerve-shredding penalty shootout.

Bayern were knocked out at the hands of PSG, the eventual winners, in a semi-final contest for the ages, Vincent Kompany no doubt desperate advance further to get his hands on a trophy he never lifted as a player this term.

Arsenal enter eagerly anticipated Wednesday’s encounter with a 100 per cent record thus far having beaten Napoli and Lille, while Bayern got the better of Bodo Glimt before being held in a 3-3 draw away to Viking last time out.

Previewing the tie, Bayern centre-back Tah took the opportunity to applaud Arsenal for the strong sense of ‘identity’ the club had managed to build since Arteta took over the reins as manager.

The Germany international also waxed lyrical about his ‘good friend’ Havertz, his former team-mate at Bayer Leverkusen, who he is looking forward to facing when the pair take to the field in Munich.

‘Arsenal have been doing great the last years, the way they build this team and this identity,’ Tah told The Times. 

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‘We faced them last year and felt how difficult it was to play against them.’

On Havertz, Tah added: ‘It’s more interesting if a team have a player you know and want to support

‘Kai is my good friend since ten years. Great character, amazing player, a player that is still underestimated to be fair.

‘I don’t think he gets the appreciation he deserves. We already talked about the game. I’m really looking forward to it.’

Tah is massively enjoying his time under Kompany at Bayern and has relished the chance to take on more of a leadership role within the group under the Belgian’s orders.

‘He’s someone who really sees the whole picture. Looks beyond the game, beyond the pitch,’ he said of the Bayern head coach.

‘He’s really focused on developing the personality of a player.

‘He wants me to be a leader like he was. He’s so young, you watch how he handles things as a coach and sometimes feel he’s doing the same thing he would as a player.

‘We’re convinced that with this identity, if we bring it, we can win every game.’

Bayern should be brimming with confidence after bouncing back from their draw at Viking to run out comprehensive 6-1 victors over RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga at the weekend.

Arsenal, meanwhile, edged past Nottingham Forest to make it six wins from seven at the start of their Premier League title defence.