It’s time for the Champions League semi-finals, and we’re kicking things off with a matchup that most fans would rather see in the final. One of the two favourites to win the tournament will be eliminated, but until then, we’re in for two epic showdowns.
Aside from their recent slip-up against Lyon, PSG are in perfect form and are crushing everyone in their path. They have kept a clean sheet in five of their last seven matches and won eight of their last nine.
Their path to this point hasn’t been easy, as they faced Chelsea and Liverpool, but they won all four matches without any trouble.
On the other hand, Bayern Munich look unbeatable when they have their optimal lineup. Over the weekend, they played against Mainz, with Vincent Kompany fielding a completely different lineup in the first half. This led to a 3-0 lead for the 05ers at half time and the need for quick changes.
But the moment Harry Kane and Michael Olise came on in the 46th minute, everything changed. He then brought on Stanisic, Musiala, and Tah, and by the 83rd minute, Bayern were already leading 4-3.
This demonstrates the calibre of this squad, which has already broken nearly every possible German football record this season.
How the bookies view it: PSG with slight edge
This is certainly the toughest match to predict, which is why the odds are quite close at the moment. The Parisians have a slight edge, but the difference is minimal, and we all know that the odds here don’t really matter.
You can back PSG at 13/10, while Bayern Munich are available at 7/4. A draw is also an option at 14/5.
Recent head-to-head: Bavarians won last five UCL H2Hs
In recent years, we’ve seen more and more matches between PSG and Bayern Munich, and this will be their eighth Champions League clash since 2020.
They’ve already faced off once this season in the group stage, with Bayern winning 2-1 in Paris. More importantly, that victory marked Bayern’s fifth consecutive win against PSG in the Champions League.
And they also have four consecutive H2H wins away from home. The last time PSG beat them at Parc des Princes was in 2017.
Players to watch: The next Ballon d'Or winner?
You won’t see any surprising selections here, given which players we’ll be watching on Tuesday. Harry Kane already has 53 goals in 44 matches across all competitions, including 12 in 11 Champions League matches. He’s also scored in each of Bayern’s last seven matches.
Michael Olise, meanwhile, has been involved in 45 goals in 45 matches this season (19 goals, 26 assists). There are very few matches in which he hasn’t made a key contribution.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Paris Saint-Germain: Safonov, Hakimi, Mendes, Pacho, Marquinhos, Ruiz, Neves, Zaire-Emery, Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Laimer, Tah, Upamecano, Stanisic, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Musiala, Diaz, Olise, Kane
Anything else catch the eye?
It would be a surprise to everyone if we didn’t see a lot of goals between these two teams. There’s simply too much firepower in both squads for this to be a dull semi-final.
PSG are the defending champions and fully deserve to reach the final again. But with each passing week, Bayern look like a team that is determined to win the treble at all costs.
We even think it’s quite possible they could win again in Paris, but the odds allow us to play it safe with a double chance bet, since Bayern are the underdogs.
GambleAware