Preview: Bayern Munich vs PSG

UCL Preview: Bayern Munich vs PSG

Ifeanyi Ufomadu 19:28 - 07.03.2023

Bayern Munich welcome Paris Saint-Germain to the Allianz Arena for the crucial UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg clash.

No matter which way you choose to describe this contest, it is potentially season-defining for PSG. A defeat and the knives come out. 

var widgetLoaderConfig = widgetLoaderConfig || { CDN_URL: 'https://widgets.sportal365.com', APP_LINK: 'desktop', API_URL: 'https://africa.football.api.sportal365.com/', API_KEY: '2f852b4de2f3a5cf3188e74b33087bb4:2c18422f8e826a7d11aeed52edb2449e', LANG: 'en', REQUEST_INTERVAL: 30, ENABLE_BET_SLIP: false, AUTHOR: false, THEME: "light", TOURNAMENT_ORDER: "pulse_nigeria", LINK_OPTIONS_V2: { 'player' : { 'url': '/football/player/{playerId}' }, 'team' : { 'url': '/football/{teamId}' }, 'tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}' }, 'match': { 'url' : '/football/match/{matchId}', 'sort': { 'criteria': 'alphabetically', 'direction': 'asc' } }, 'configuration': { 'newWindow': false }, 'standings_tournament': { 'url': '/football/competition/{tournamentId}/standings' } } }; if (!document.querySelector('script[src="https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js"]')) { window.setTimeout(function () { let scriptCss = document.createElement('link'); scriptCss.href = 'https://www.pulsesports.ug/css/sport-widgets.css?v=1668785443'; scriptCss.rel = 'stylesheet'; scriptCss.type = 'text/css'; document.body.appendChild(scriptCss); let scriptTag = document.createElement('script'); scriptTag.src = 'https://widgets.sportal365.com/loader.bundle.min.js'; scriptTag.defer = true; scriptTag.onload = function () { window.setTimeout(function () { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }, 200); }; document.head.appendChild(scriptTag); }, 0); } else { new SMPWidgetsLoader(widgetLoaderConfig); }

There will be casualties, from the manager Christophe Galtier down to the high-earning players who failed to deliver. Bayern Munich are favourites but only by the slimmest of Margins. 

Kingsley Coman scored the only goal of the first leg in a game the Germans dominated for large parts.

Kingsley Coman scored for Bayern against PSG

Bayern Munich 

Bayern come into this clash as slight favourites owing to their home advantage and first leg lead.

 Nagelsmann's men are also bolstered by  a well-deserved victory over Stuttgart on Saturday that took them to the top of the Bundesliga.

The hosts should feel quietly confident of going through as their record at this stage is impeccable. They have only been eliminated once at this stage in their last 13 attempts which came at the hands of Liverpool in the 2018-19 season.  

More importantly, Bayern have not been eliminated from a Champions League knockout tie after winning the first leg, since 2011. 

Bayern Munich possible lineup 

Sommer; Stanisic, Upamecano, De Ligt; Coman, Kimmich, Goretzka, Davies; Sane, Musiala; Choupo-Moting

Paris Saint-Germain 

PSG were disappointing in the first leg in front of their home fans and will be itching to put out a better performance. 

The Parisians' 4-2 win over Nantes in Ligue 1 at the weekend was special for Kylian Mbappe who became the club’s all-time record goalscorer. 

With Neymar confirmed to miss the rest of the season, the onus is on Mbappe and Lionel Messi to carry this team. 

Coach Christophe Galtier must know the repercussions of defeat in Germany and will be doing all he can to ensure victory. 

PSG have only progressed from one of their six Champions League knockout ties in which they have lost the first leg which makes for grim reading as a fan of the French Giants. 

However Mbappe and Messi are a formidable match for any defence and there will be some optimism in the PSG camp. 

PSG possible lineup 

Donnarumma; Pereira, Marquinhos, Ramos; Hakimi, Ruiz, Verratti, Vitinha, Mendes; Messi, Mbappe

Verdict 

This will be a close game just like the first leg. Bayern have scored in every Champions League home game since 2018 and we expect them to score again. 

Related content