As Arsene Wenger walked in for his post-game press conference on this most galling of nights, there were many questions, but one of the most pressing was to be asked about him rather than of him.

What sort of press conference would this be – would he be just as deflated in that way that has sadly now become so common, or would this be one where he would be furious; where he would finally throw his Arsenal players under the bus. It felt like he had a real right to the latter, especially with the way so many of his players just stopped playing. You could see Wenger’s frustration even before the second-half collapse to Bayern Munich, like when he called Granit Xhaka over for a stern talking-to on the sideline mid-game.

If he was still angry by the time he sat down in the Allianz Arena press room, after a second 5-1 defeat here in successive games, it was fully internalised. He just looked depressed; dejected - defeated. This wasn’t the way that has become so common after such defeats, either. It seemed worse, as if a real nadir had been reached.

And, difficult as it was not to criticise Wenger in the most ferocious terms for the familiar nature of this collapse, it was even more difficult not to feel huge sympathy for him.

Sure, in response to that, many might bring up how much he earns and he still keeps making the same errors despite the abundant weight of persuasive evidence to the contrary but this goes beyond all that. This was the look of a man realising so much of his life work, the obsession that means more to a football obsessive like him than anyone else, is in shreds right now. That is genuinely sad to see.

Carlo Ancelotti was asked after the game whether he had any sympathy for Wenger, and rather off-handedly pointed to his counterpart’s experience, as if to say he could relatively easily shake it off.

“This is football,” the Bayern manager said. “I think Arsene has a lot of experience, the experience to manage this moment, this result and look forward to the next game. It’s only one game.”

But it feels so much more. For one thing, it is just the latest game like this, creating a heavy cumulative effect.

Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Manuel Neuer – 6 out of 10 Lucky not to be punished when he spilled Ozil’s first-half free-kick. Got down well to Sanchez’s penalty, perhaps should have stopped the rebound. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Philip Lahm – 7 out of 10 Weighted the cross for Lewandowski’s goal perfectly. Will miss the second leg after picking up a booking. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Javi Martinez – 7 out of 10 Looked uneasy when Arsenal’s forwards could run at him before the break, but was protected by his team’s dominance of possession afterwards. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Mats Hummels – 8 out of 10 Assured at the centre of Bayern’s defence, but in truth was rarely troubled. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings David Alaba – 7 out of 10 Took a while to ease himself into the game but won his battle with Bellerin decisively. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Xabi Alonso – 7 out of 10 Failed to exert his usual influence in the first half, and should have done better to stop Sanchez’s effort, but was instrumental once Bayern started to move through the gears. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Arturo Vidal – 6 out of 10 A quieter influence on the game than his Bayern team-mates, but had little to contend with in the middle of the park. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Arjen Robben – 9 out of 10 His simply stunning strike in the opening exchanges set the tone for the evening. A reminder why he has been one of the continent’s best over the past decade. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Thiago – 8 out of 10 An excellent display was capped off with two sweet goals. Eased the ball past Ospina for Bayern’s third, slightly fortunate for his second. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Douglas Costa – 5 out of 10 Bayern’s only real disappointment of the night, he failed to fizz and crackle like the rest of their forward talents. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Robert Lewandowski – 8 out of 10 Somewhat unlucky to concede the penalty, but atoned with a magnificent header to put his side back in front. His assist for Thiago was even better. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings David Ospina – 6 out of 10 Improved after a nervy start, and despite conceding five, stopped Bayern on several occasions. Produced one brilliant save to deny Martinez. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Hector Bellerin – 4 out of 10 Still looking bang out-of-sorts, the young Spaniard offered none of the invention and threat we have come to expect. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Shkodran Mustafi – 5 out of 10 No contest for Lewandowski, who used him as a climbing frame for Bayern’s second. Looked more comfortable with Koscielny as a partner. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Laurent Koscielny - 7 out of 10 Looked excellent early on and did well to win the penalty. His departure through injury at the start of the second half was the harbinger of Arsenal’s collapse. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Kieran Gibbs – 4 out of 10 Left-back continues to prove a problem area for Arsenal. Robben had it all his own way. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Francis Coquelin – 4 out of 10 Elected to stand off Robben rather than get tight, allowing the opening goal to fly past him. Recovered, but utterly over-ran by Bayern’s midfield after the break. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Granit Xhaka – 5 out of 10 Forced Neuer into action with a well-taken first-time shot from the edge of the box in the first half. It was his only real moment of note. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Alex Iwobi – 4 out of 10 A quiet night for the youngster. Substituted after Bayern’s fourth goal, replaced by Theo Walcott. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Mesut Ozil – 5 out of 10 Missing in action, once again. Could have punished Bayern when he broke in behind in the closing stages of the first half but ran down a blind alley. Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 4 out of 10 Failed to justify his surprise selection on the left-flank, rarely troubling Lahm. Getty Bayern 5 Arsenal 1 player ratings Alexis Sanchez – 7 out of 10 Kept running into brick walls until the penalty. His initial effort was poor but showed composure to guide the ball home at the third time of asking.

You would wonder, then, whether he really can manage this moment; whether it might just persuade him to go in the summer.

Those close to Wenger say his attitude towards that is dictated by his mood following every game, so what will a defeat like this to it?

It said much that he was asked whether this was the worst moment of his reign, and that he didn’t really want to get into that.

Wenger's press conference was cut short after less than three minutes (Getty)

“How I feel I don't think is the most important but of course it is disappointing.”

In truth, Wenger didn’t really want to discuss any of it, as was made perfectly clear when Arsenal’s communications director called his press conference to an end after just three questions and two minutes 57 seconds.

Managers should have to explain themselves in such situations but, again, this had a human angle that went beyond that.

It was impossible not to feel sympathy. The fact he wasn’t even angry only emphasised that

It would effectively have been an interrogation of a man facing up to his worst professional crisis, something that is so personal to him. At his lowest, it would have been questions about how what he believes about management is currently so wrong.

That alone sums up how bad it has got.

These defeats are no longer just about how suitable his management is for Arsenal football club. They’re how devastating they are for Wenger as a man.

Again, within searching criticisms, it was impossible not to feel sympathy.