Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain – Champions League Preview, Team News & Predicted Line-ups – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Paris Saint-Germain travel to the Allianz Arena to take on Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Wednesday.
PSG will be looking to inflict revenge on the German outfit for crashing their dream in last season’s final.
Except for Bayern’s 1-0 in the 2019/20 Champions League final, all of their other eight meetings have come in the competition’s group stage.
The French giants have lost each of their last three Champions League trips to Munich, conceding 2+ goals on each occasion.
Bayern Munich Preview
Bayern utterly outclassed Lazio in the previous knock-out round, running out 6-2 aggregate winners (4-1 A, 2-1 H) to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the second season running.
Hansi Flick’s men have won all eight home fixtures in the Champions League since going down 3-1 to Liverpool in the 2018/19 Champions League last-16.
Free-scoring Bayern netted 2+ goals each time across that eight-match winning streak, managing an average of 2.85 per game.
The Bavarians boast a formidable UEFA knock-out record versus French opponents, having won seven of their eight such ties (L1), finals included.
Except for a 3-0 defeat at the Parc des Princes in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage, the perennial Bundesliga champions have won nine of their last ten European meetings with Ligue 1 sides.
At the Allianz Arena, the Germans have won four European matches against French visitors on the trot, and they enjoy a solid overall record in such contests (W11, D2, L3).
Paris Saint-Germain Preview
Paris ousted Barcelona in the round of 16 on an aggregate score of 5-2 (4-1 A, 1-1 H) to qualify for the Champions League last-eight for the second year in a row.
A 4-1 victory at Camp Nou was PSG’s 17th win in their last 26 fixtures in the competition (D4, L5).
Les Parisiens have found the net in 42 of their last 43 matches in the competition, with the lone exception of a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in last season’s final.
Away from home, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have won nine (56.25%) of their previous 16 Champions League outings (D2, L5), including three of four this season (L1).
However, the French heavyweights have ended up on the losing side in each of their last three Champions League trips to Germany, including a 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig earlier this season.
Notably, though, PSG have won all three of their previous UEFA two-legged ties against Bundesliga opponents.
Team News
Bayern Munich
Out: Robert Lewandowski.
Doubts: N/A
Paris Saint-Germain
Out: Juan Bernat, Alessandro Florenzi, Layvin Kurzawa, Leandro Paredes, Marco Verratti.
Doubts: Danilo Pereira, Thilo Kehrer.
Predicted Line-ups
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Manuel Neuer; Benjamin Pavard, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, Alphonso Davies; Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka; Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller, Kingsley Coman; Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Paris Saint-Germain (4-2-3-1): Keylor Navas; Colin Dagba, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe, Abdou Diallo; Idrissa Gueye, Ander Herrera; Angel Di Maria, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe; Moise Kean.