PSG vs Bayern Munich
Venue: Parc des Princes, Paris
2023 has been a tough year for Paris Saint-Germain, who have lost four times since the turn of the year and are heading into this UEFA Champions League (UCL) clash for the first time in 11 months. PSG manager Christophe Galtier admitted he was “worried” about this first leg, with his squad ravaged by injuries including Verratti, Messi and Mbappe, but is expected to have two of his best players back in the squad.
When it comes to UCL fixtures, there aren’t many teams that know each other better than PSG and Bavarian giants Bayern Munich. This will be the sixth UCL meeting in the last six years (PSG: W2, L3) and given the form of the Parisians, it will be entertaining! Galtier’s men are the only team remaining in the round of 16 yet to keep a clean sheet, but they have scored in all but one of their last 32 UCL home games to their credit.
Coincidentally, the only home game in which PSG missed a clean sheet was in 2021. against “Bayern” in April (0:1). Visiting coach Julian Nagelsmann said in the build-up that his side “won’t get an award for our perfect group”. campaign’, but a win here could get the Bavarians’ blood pumping this Valentine’s Day, as the last time Bayern won their first seven games of a campaign, they lifted the coveted trophy in 2019/20!
Things also started to improve on the home front for Bayern as Bayern became a record 10 consecutive Bundesliga champions after three wins and three draws in 2023. Continuing the revival in the city of love would not be too surprising. Bayern are down! They haven’t lost a UCL Round of 16 away game in over a decade (W6, D4) and have won their last three UCL H2H matches since 2020. The guest team of the day won the month of August!
Players to watch: PSG star Neymar has historically enjoyed playing against this opposition, contributing as many goals (W4, A3) as he has appeared against them. The former PSG player Eric Maksim Choupo-Moting, who will play in 2020-2021, will play opposite him. scored in both knockout games against his former club.
Team News:
Both teams have some injury problems ahead of the playoffs. Both Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are readily available for the first leg after suffering hamstring and hamstring injuries respectively. The suspicion is that if they are 70% fit, they will play.
Bayern have more long-term fixtures, with Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernández both out for the season. The legendary German goalkeeper broke his leg in a skiing accident (it’s unclear if his contract allowed him to ski), and Hernández tore his ACL at the World Cup.
Noussair Mazraoui has also been out of action since the World Cup with Covid-19, which left the Moroccan with right-back heart problems similar to Alphonso Davies’ last season. Let’s hope he makes a full recovery like his teammate.
Sadio Mane didn’t even make it to Qatar after picking up a calf injury before the tournament. He may be back in time for the second leg, but Tuesday’s game will be too soon for the Senegalese superstar.
Latest Form:
Bayern Munich are currently on a 19-game losing streak in all competitions (W15 D4), with their last defeat coming in 2022. September 17 against “Augsburg” in the Bundesliga (1:0). It is their longest competitive unbeaten streak since 20 games unbeaten since 2020. September. until 2021 in January under former manager Hansi Flick.
They have won their last three games, scoring at least three goals in each of those wins (11 in total), with a 4-0 DFB Pokal win over Mainz, followed by league wins over Wolfsburg (4-2) and Bochum (3-0). ). In those three games so far in February, Kingsley Coman has scored three times, while teammates Jamal Musiala (two goals, one assist) and Thomas Müller (two goals, one assist) have also scored three of the 11 goals. .
Paris Saint-Germain come into this match on the back of two consecutive defeats in four days, a 2-1 defeat at Marseille in the French Cup, followed by a 3-1 loss at Monaco at the weekend. They haven’t lost three games in a row since 2020. in September, and Bayern Munich suffered the first of this series of defeats in the Champions League.
PSG’s home form is a different story. The Ligue 1 club are unbeaten in their last 40 home games in all competitions (W33 D7), with their last defeat at the Parc de Princes coming in 2021. in April against Man City in the Champions League (2:1). They have scored 23 consecutive home games in all competitions and averaged 2.56 goals against.
Looking at their recent competition form, Bayern were the only team in 2022/23. In the Champions League group stage, they won every match as they collected all possible 18 points against Serie A side Internazionale, LaLiga giants Barcelona and Czech club Plzeňo Viktoria. in group C.
They have scored 18 goals and conceded just two in those six wins as they look to win their first seven games in a single UCL campaign for the second time after a stunning 2019/20. a campaign in which they won all 11 matches. .
Paris Saint-Germain have failed to score in just one of their last 32 UEFA Champions League home matches (an average of 2.6 goals per game), although the exception was a 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in 2020/21. in the quarterfinals of the season. leg
At the other end of the pitch, among all the teams that have reached the knockout stages of this season’s UEFA Champions League, PSG are the only team without a clean sheet in 2022/23. in competitions.
Paris Saint-Germain Champions League form:
W W D D W W
Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):
W D W W L L
Bayern Munich Champions League form:
W W W W W W
Bayern Munich form (all competitions):
D D D W W W
Last five Champions League meetings:
13 April, 2021: PSG 0-1 Bayern Munich – Quarter Final 2nd leg
7 April, 2021: Bayern Munich 2-3 PSG – Quarter Final 1st leg
23 August, 2020: PSG 0-1 Bayern Munich – Final
5 December, 2017: Bayern Munich 3-1 PSG – Group Stage Matchday 6
27 September, 2017: PSG 3-0 Bayern Munich – Group Stage Matchday 2
Team Facts :
- Bayern have reached the Champions League quarter-finals or better in 10 of the last 11 seasons, winning the competition for the fifth and sixth time in 2012/13 and 2019/20 respectively.
- Nagelsmann’s class of 2022/23 are the second-highest scorers (18) after Napoli (20) and boast the joint-best defence with Man City (two against) in this season’s competition. PSG have scored 16 and conceded seven.
- Leroy Sane was Bayern’s biggest goal threat in the groups, with four of his own and two assists.
- Musiala is one of 11 players still on the Bayern books that beat PSG in the 2019/20 final. He’s Bayern’s top dog for goal contributions in all competitions this season (14 goals and 10 assists).
- Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who was a PSG substitute on that day, is enjoying his most prolific season to date, with 13 goals, including three in the Champions League.
- Juan Bernat won four, and Renato Sanches three, Bundesliga titles whilst at Bayern.
Predicted Lineups:
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 Bayern Munich