Bayern Munich versus Paris Saint-Germain is definitely one of the biggest hits the football world has to offer right now. However, this encounter does not have much tradition. This is mainly due to the fact that PSG was not a regular in the premier class in the past before a rain of money pushed the club upwards.
To date, FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have met in nine competitive games. Overall, the French club are just ahead with five wins and four defeats at 12:12 goals. The first meeting was dated September 14, 1994. Paris won the Champions League group game 2-0. By the year 2000, the teams met five more times, of which Paris won three and Bayern won two games.
In the past 20 years or more there have only been three other competitive games between the two teams. However, these all had it all. A look back at the last three great duels:
For the first time in recent years, the two clubs met in the group stage of the 2017/18 Champions League season. The first duel should be one of the clearest Bayern bankruptcies in the last ten years. The French star ensemble swept over Bayern in the Parc des Princes and won the game 3-0. Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti had decided in the run-up to the game for a difficult to understand line-up. In the away game, Mats Hummels, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben sat on the bench, although all three players still played a major role at the time.
The Italian tried it with Müller and James Rodriguez as winger. Javi Martinez acted as a central defender alongside the then inexperienced Niklas Süle. Unsurprisingly, this plan didn’t work at all. Neymar, Mbappé and Co, on the other hand, put a fast paced football on the pitch and whirled the Munich defense upside down. Ultimately, Dani Alves, Edison Cavani and Neymar met for the Parisians. However, it could have rung more often in the Munich box. It was one of those games where you could clearly see the importance of fast players on the pitch. The Munich team was rarely compelling in the 90 minutes and failed to goalkeeper Areola or himself.
For Ancelotti it was a bankruptcy with consequences. The legendary coach was replaced by Jupp Heynckes just one day later. His curious lineup will have played its part.
The highlights of the game in the video:
In the second leg, the PSG stars took it a little more relaxed. At this point in time, the group victory could hardly be stolen from them. The Bavarians took advantage of the somewhat too casual attitude of the Parisians and reciprocated with a 3-1 win in the Allianz Arena. Robert Lewandowski scored the opening goal for Munich after just eight minutes.
However, it was to be Corentin Tolisso’s evening that marked the 2-0 and 3-1 goals. Kingsley Coman (two assists) and James Rodriguez (one assist) also shone on that day. In the end, Bayern could not win the group, but returned impressively to the top of Europe. Under coach Jupp Heynckes an impressive knockout round followed, in which they failed because of Real Madrid and even more because of their own exploitation of chances.
The highlights of the game in the video:
On 08/23 last year, the two teams did not meet in a group game for the first time. Bayern fans will be able to remember this meeting particularly well. At the 2020 Champions League final, Bayern crowned a furious second half of the season under Hansi Flick with a triple win. The game itself was at eye level for a long time. Bayern had more possession in the game, but the Parisians even had slightly clearer chances.
However, Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer decided two decisive one-on-one situations and saved Munich’s clean slate. This enabled Kingsley Coman to mark the decisive goal in the 59th minute of the game. After a wonderful half-field cross from Joshua Kimmich, the French headed the ball against the direction of the goalkeeper into the far corner. What was particularly noticeable about the scene was that Coman, of all people, who admits to being afraid of headers, was able to decide the game.
In the end, the Munich team emerged as the celebrated winner of the Champions League tournament in Lisbon. However, the final also showed that there is currently practically no quality difference between the two clubs.
