If there is one team that could potentially stop the current Bayern Munich, it is probably the latest Champions League winners PSG. However, the Parisians have shown a noticeable decline in form in recent weeks and do not appear to be in optimal shape for this clash.
PSG returned to winning ways by beating Nice 1-0 and sealed their position as the Ligue 1 leaders. But the 77% possession and 28 goal attempts imply a bigger margin, which once again proved that the Parisians are often not clinical enough in the final third.
The 7-2 win away at Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round was a testament to their real capabilities, but PSG also had three draws in their last six fixtures. Now, they are set to face another German giant, with the difference being that Leverkusen are going through a transition and Bayern Munich are without a doubt the best team in the world this season.
The Bavarians scored their 15th consecutive win since the start of the season, further increasing their record for the most wins at the start of a campaign in the Top 5 leagues of Europe. Curiously, Bayern’s last defeat was at the hands of PSG during the Club World Cup, which allows for a certain degree of positivism in the home camp.
How the bookies view it: Finally Bayern Munich are not the favourites
This is the first time this season that Bayern Munich are not the bookmakers' favourites. Whether they are right remains to be seen. The important thing is that you can currently pick PSG at 27/20, Bayern Munich at 17/10 and the draw at 29/10.
Recent head-to-head: Bavarian dominance in the CL H2Hs
The rivalry between PSG and Bayern Munich has been one of the most frequent in the Champions League in recent years. The teams have met in four of the last six editions of the tournament, including the 2020 final. The overall picture shows absolute dominance for the Bavarians, as the German team has won eight of the last ten clashes in the Champions League.
Most recently, however, they met in the FIFA World Cup this past summer, and PSG eliminated Bayern after a 2-0 win. But this doesn’t change the fact that the Bavarians won the last four encounters in the CL and without conceding a single goal.
Players to watch: Hakimi is the most impactful defender
If PSG are to score against Bayern Munich, there’s a good chance Achraf Hakimi will be involved in the goal in some way. He is one goal contribution away from beating the record for contributions in consecutive CL matches by a defender.
The Moroccan has been involved in at least one of PSG’s goals in his last five appearances, scoring twice and assisting three times. It is a longshot, but Betano’s 27/20 for him to score or assist sounds phenomenal.
Probable line-ups
Paris Saint-Germain: Chevalier, Mendes, Pacho, Marquinhos, Hakimi, Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz, Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Barcola
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Laimer, Tah, Upamecano, Boey, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Olise, Diaz, Gnabry, Kane
Anything else catch the eye?
The last five encounters between Bayern and PSG all ended at under 2.5 goals. But Bayern Munich’s current form makes it impossible to believe that we will see a low-scoring game. All 15 of the Bavarians’ matches this season crossed the three-goal mark, with them scoring 3+ in 13/15.
Meanwhile, all three of PSG’s Champions League matches this season ended with a minimum of three goals too. Overall, these are the two highest-scoring teams in the competition so far. While there is always a chance we see a 1-0 for either side, we believe this League Phase clash will be one for the books.
As for which side has better chances to win, we have to back the Bavarians once again. PSG famously beat Barcelona away in the second round, but Vincent Kompany’s Bayern could be an insurmountable challenge.
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