Overview
Paris Saint-Germain aims for an advantage in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final when hosting Bayern Munich at Parc des Princes.
The two European "giants" entered the great battle after impressive victories. PSG defeated Liverpool with a total score of 4-0, while Bayern defeated Real Madrid 6-4 after two legs. According to the prediction of Opta supercomputer, Vincent Kompany's team has a 59.6% chance of reaching the final, compared to 40.4% of PSG.
Bayern just showed their bravery when they came back to win 4-3 against Mainz, with goals from Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise.
On PSG's side, coach Luis Enrique is likely to field the strongest squad after rotation in the 3-0 victory over Angers. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has directly participated in 13 goals this season, only one less than Ousmane Dembele's record.
In midfield, Vitinha is the "brain" with 1,370 successful passes - the highest since the 2003-2004 season. If he takes the field, Marquinhos will equal the record of 120 Champions League matches of a Brazilian player, only behind Lionel Messi in the South American player group.
On Bayern's side, Luis Diaz can help the team set a new milestone if they continue to contribute goals or assists, while Kane is having an explosive season with 12 goals - a record for an English player in a Champions League season. He has also scored in 4 consecutive knockout matches and can equal Robert Lewandowski's record of 5 matches.
The two teams are currently the clubs with the most goals in the league (both with 38 goals), with impressive performance (Bayern 3.2 goals/match, PSG 2.7). Both also lead in the number of goals from high-pressing - each team has 6 goals from ball-taking situations in the opponent's half.
PSG is particularly dangerous when scoring at least 2 goals in each 8 consecutive knockout matches - the longest streak in history, equal to Barcelona under Luis Enrique himself.
The Spanish captain is also facing a major milestone - his 50th victory in the Champions League after only 76 matches, faster than Pep Guardiola's current record (80 matches). However, he needs to overcome the jinx of never winning against Kompany, who has won all 2 previous encounters.
In terms of force, PSG will check the fitness of Nuno Mendes and Vitinha, while Bayern only lacks Serge Gnabry and Sven Ulreich for the long term.
Head-to-head record
The two teams are no stranger as they have faced each other 15 times in the UEFA Champions League, including 9 times in just the last 9 seasons between PSG and Bayern Munich. Since the 2017-2018 season, only the Real Madrid vs. Manchester City match has been more frequent (13 times) than this confrontation (9 times).
This season, Bayern once defeated PSG 2-1 right in Paris in the group stage, with a double in the first half by Luis Diaz before he was sent off.
Head-to-head statistics are leaning towards the German representative. Bayern has won all 5 recent encounters with PSG in the Champions League - the longest winning streak any team has ever had against the French team in European competitions.
In total, PSG has suffered 9 defeats against Bayern - more than any other opponent in the Champions League. The 60% loss rate (9/15 matches, 6 wins) is also their highest number against an opponent they have faced 3 or more times.
Score prediction: PSG 2-2 Bayern Munich
The match between PSG and Bayern Munich takes place at 2:00 AM on April 29 (Vietnam time).
