What an evening of football we have ahead of us on Tuesday as the UEFA Champions League makes its first appearance of 2023. We are now in the knockout rounds as the remaining teams in the Round of 16 battle it out over two legs for a spot in the quarter-finals. Spurs are off to Milan in the night’s other game, and you can read an in-depth preview of the play on this page. But this article focuses on PSG v Bayern Munich in Paris as the French Ligue 1 champions host the German Bundesliga’s main outfit. But which side will get the win needed to boost their chances of going through?
This game has all the ingredients of a cracker, and it wouldn’t look out of place if it were the Champions League final. Both have high hopes of getting through this task and going on to lift the trophy but had the misfortune of running into each other as early as possible in the elimination stages. Despite two strong sides, we’ll lose one at the end of this two-legged clash. Free-spending PSG is under mounting pressure to get their hands on this season’s trophy, while Bayern Munich has seen it all before. The Germans know what it takes to claim European success and will use that hard-earned experience in the hope of still being in the running at the quarter-finals.
The stats attached to this fixture make for exciting reading and could come in handy when making your results predictions. This will be the 12th time the rivals have met in competitive action, and they have never produced a draw. PSG lead the head-to-head stats with six wins, but the German champions are snapping away at their heels with five wins, hoping to go level and pull clear this month. Keep reading as we use the stats, form, and trends to make predictions on how this game might play out and what we can expect on Tuesday.
PSG feels the strain
After the board spent millions of Euros in the transfer market over the years, investing in the squad and coaching staff, they are finally demanding a return on that investment. The aim was always to win the Champions League, but the French cracks have been unable to live up to expectations in recent times. Fans have become used to disappointment on the continent, despite dominating domestically for the best part of the last decade. With the Ligue 1 title, the minimum fans expect, a huge improvement is needed in this competition. The big-name, high-earning players understand what’s expected of them.
PSG was dropped into Group H alongside Benfica, Juventus, and Maccabi Haifa. That seemed like an easy pool for the pundits to predict, with many making it a shootout between the French and Italians for the top spot. Neither side lived up to the hype created by backers, with Benfica upsetting the odds to progress as the winner. They finished on 14 points, level with PSG, but snuck through on the head-to-head rule because both sides scored 16 goals and conceded seven. Failure to do as expected and claim the group left PSG with the unenviable task of facing Bayern Munich earlier than planned.
In the French Ligue 1, PSG is back on top and looks like a team determined to retain its title. They are already five points better than nearest rivals Marseille, with their results suggesting that the margin is likely to grow rather than shorten in the coming weeks. The locals have won two of their last three but only two of six, with two defeats and a draw. They must be at their best in Paris to beat an ambitious and talented opponent. The Parisians set up on the back of a surprise 3-1 defeat in Monaco on Saturday.
Munich fancy their chances
Bayern Munich started their Champions League campaign as a popular pick with pundits to end as champions, making their long-awaited return to the head of European football. The team has dominated the German Bundesliga over the last ten years but hasn’t quite reached the level of success they are capable of in Europe. Munich has the players and coaches to go all the way, but first, they face a stern test in the form of a determined PSG. Avoiding defeat in Paris will be critical to Munich going through to the quarters.
The visitors were impressive during their group campaign, winning the pool with a perfect record of six wins and 18 points from six games. They were the team that caught the eye during the round-robin stage of play, but it was obvious to all who saw them play that they had more to offer. Bayern hasn’t yet hit their top gear, but it’s coming, and fans hope their journey isn’t disrupted by losing in France. It will take another perfect performance to see Bayern leave Paris with victory, but it’s certainly within their grasp. They are in great form and have confidence and the backing of loyal support.
Bayern Munich sits on top of the Bundesliga after 20 games played, and that will come as no surprise to anyone with even a passing interest in German football. The Germans have won each of their last two outings and were seen beating Vfl Bochum 1848 3-0 at the weekend. Muller, Coman, and Gnabry scored the goals in that game. That set them up nicely for the trip to Paris, but Munich knows they’ll face a much sterner test on Tuesday.
PSG v Bayern Munich prediction
Here we have a meeting of two giants of the game, and they are both capable of winning this match. Paris knows they must take the lead to Germany for the second leg but might find it hard to break down their opponents. We could see this game ending as a draw.
Champions League odds
22Bet members can back PSG at odds of 2.56 with Bayern Munich 2.54 and the draw 3.72.
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