Champions League
2021-04-07 - Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: European Champions League Quarter Final First Leg
Wednesday 7th April 2021 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Bayern Munich
UEFA have been using the format of drawing the Quarter Final and Semi Final draws for their top two club competitions at the same time and Bayern Munich have been placed in the toughest half of the draw. The defending Champions won't be that intimidated though even if they could have been facing with a much more 'comfortable' Quarter Final tie than the one in front of them.
A win at 2nd placed Leipzig has pushed Bayern Munich clear of the chasing pack in the Bundesliga and they are big favourites to win the title in Germany yet again. The Bavarian giants are unbeaten in 19 Champions League games having won both Legs against Lazio in the Last 16 and Bayern Munich have won 18 of those games.
Bayern Munich have bounced back from the surprise defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt by winning 7 in a row in all competitions. The side have won 9 of their last 10 home games and Bayern Munich have scored at least twice in 12 fixtures played in their own Stadium.
Robert Lewandowski is the big miss for the defending Champions. He may not be back until the Semi Final and possibly not until the Second Leg if Bayern Munich do progress.
Paris Saint-Germain
It has been a more difficult season for Paris Saint-Germain than this club have been used to since being taken over and the French title is far from secured as it usually has been by this time of the season. Mauricio Pochettino's team were beaten by new leaders Lille at home this past weekend to fall 3 points behind them, while the manager will also be under pressure to go one step further than Thomas Tuchel managed at the end of last season.
They will still be favourites to find their way to the French title despite the result this past weekend, but attention turns to the Champions League and this huge Quarter Final. Last season Paris Saint-Germain reached the Final before coming up short, while they have lost 2 of their 8 Champions League games this season too. The side saw off Barcelona 5-2 on aggregate in the Last 16, and Paris Saint-Germain have won 3 of 4 away Champions League ties this season.
Paris Saint-Germain will need to be a lot more consistent if they are going to achieve all of their aims by the end of this season, but the side have only won 2 and lost 2 of their last 5 in all competitions. The setbacks have surprisingly come at home though and Paris Saint-Germain have won their last 7 away games in all competitions.
Neymar missed the win over former club Barcelona, but he is available despite being sent off on Saturday. Layvin Kurzawa, Danilo, Alessandro Florenzi and Mauro Icardi are hoping to shake off knocks which saw them miss the game against Lille, while Marco Verratti has been ill.
Head to Head
These two teams played in the Champions League Final in 2020 and it was won by Bayern Munich 1-0.
Bayern Munich will be hosting Paris Saint-Germain for the fifth time and have won the last 3 of those, although it was the French side who won the first meeting between the teams in Munich.
The last time they met here was in the Champions League Group Stage of the 2017/18 season and Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1.
Prediction
This is easily the tie of the Round on paper as the two Champions League Finalists from last season meet in the Quarter Final this time around.
Bayern Munich are the favourites, but Paris Saint-Germain have to be respected and have the capability of blowing past any opponent on their best day. Consistency looks to be with Bayern Munich, but you can't underestimate the absence of Robert Lewandowski which may offer the French Champions a real chance of earning back to back Semi Final spots in the Champions League.
It would be a big surprise if there isn't plenty to play for when these teams meet in the French capital next week, although I do think Bayern Munich are likely to have a narrow advantage to take into the Second Leg.
Over the last couple of years Bayern Munich have been very strong at home and I think that shows up here. Paris Saint-Germain have won 3 of their 4 away Champions League games played this season and have won 7 in a row on their travels overall, but they have been a flaky team at times and I do think they are hard to trust against an efficient Bayern Munich team.
If Robert Lewandowski was going to be available I would really fancy Bayern Munich in this First Leg, but even without him I do think the defending Champions can edge to the lead. They are a team that create plenty of chances at home and Bayern Munich have been scoring plenty of goals at this Stadium and I think they will have enough to have a lead to take into the Second Leg.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Bayern Munich 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain
