Defending champions PSG will square up against German giants Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Parc des Princes in Paris will play host to the first leg of this high-voltage tie between PSG and Bayern Munich. Les Parisiens are eyeing back-to-back UEFA Champions League triumphs, while the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions will be hoping to make it to their first final since 2020, where they defeated the home team 1-0 to clinch the title.
Since their defeat to Lyon, PSG have recorded consecutive wins against Angers SCO and Nantes, and they are now six points clear of second-placed RC Lens. The home team are in complete control of the Ligue 1 title race, and they will now be eager to make it to another Champions League final.
PSG failed to finish in the top eight of the league phase; as a result, they had to go up against AS Monaco in the playoffs. After that, they took down Chelsea in the round of 16 and Liverpool in the quarter-finals to book a place in the Last Four. While they have not been in the best of form this season, Luis Enrique’s team has all the qualities needed to take down Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, the visitors have been in complete control of the Bundesliga title race since the start. They have accumulated 82 points in their 31 outings and have already secured their 35th league title. Vincent Kompany’s men are heading into this fixture on the back of an incredible comeback win over FSV Mainz (4-3), and they will be raring to go in Paris. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
PSG
The home team remain without the services of Quentin Ndjantou (hamstring), while Vitinha is a major doubt for the first leg because of a heel injury.
Luis Enrique’s team will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Matvey Safonov will take charge in goal. Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes will be the full-backs, while Marquinhos will pair up with Willian Pacho in the heart of the defence.
Teenage sensation Senny Mayulu could start in the centre of the park alongside Warren Zaire-Emery and Vitinha. The trio will look to control the tempo of the game, but it won’t be easy against an aggressively pressing team like Bayern.
In the final third, Desire Doue could take charge on the right, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will feature on the left, and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele will lead the line for PSG against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Mayulu, Vitinha; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Bayern Munich
The visitors will be without quite a few players in this outing. Firstly, manager Vincent Kompany won’t be on the touchline as he is suspended. Meanwhile, Serge Gnabry (thigh), Tom Bischof (calf), Sven Ulreich (muscle), and Lennart Karl (muscle) are out injured.
Kompany’s team will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Manuel Neuer will return to take charge in between the sticks. Josip Stanisic and Konrad Laimer will be the full-backs, while Jonathan Tah will line up alongside Dayot Upamecano in the central defensive unit.
As for the midfield unit, Joshua Kimmich will pair up with Aleksandar Pavlovic in the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will shield the backline and look to ensure they dominate proceedings. However, taking control against PSG won’t be that easy.
Ahead of them, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Jamal Musiala will reprise the number ten role behind star striker Harry Kane, who will spearhead the Bayern Munich attack against PSG on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanisic; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Musiala, Diaz; Kane
Key Stats
- PSG and Bayern Munich have faced each other on 15 occasions in the Champions League, with the German club winning nine times, while the French outfit have come out on top on six occasions.
- Both teams have never played out a draw in Europe’s premier club competition.
- The last meeting between the two teams took place on matchday five of the 2024/25 season, Bayern won 1-0 on the night.
- Bayern Munich have won each of the last four meetings with PSG.
- The two teams met in the final of the 2019/20 season, with Bayern Munich securing the title by a 1-0 scoreline.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
While PSG also have some quality forwards in their ranks, Harry Kane might be the one to have the biggest say on the end result of this fixture. The 32-year-old has been in sensational form this season. The veteran striker has been involved in 45 matches across competitions, and he has contributed towards 59 goals.
Kane has scored in his last five UEFA Champions League outings. He has a total of eight goal contributions in those fixtures. Given the kind of form he has been in, the former Tottenham striker could end up being the difference between the two teams at the end of the tie.
Prediction
PSG 2-2 Bayern Munich
PSG and Bayern Munich are set for a thrilling UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at Parc des Princes, where the defending champions aim to leverage home advantage against the Bundesliga giants.
While PSG’s flair up front with Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could trouble Bayern’s backline, Harry Kane’s red-hot form and the visitors’ perfect record in recent head-to-heads (four straight wins) promise a fierce battle.
With no draws in their 15 prior Champions League meetings and the away side’s pressing game likely to counter PSG’s control, expect an action-packed draw that keeps the tie wide open. The Hard Tackle predicts an entertaining 2-2 draw in the first leg.
