Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain
Bayern Munich and PSG will reconvene at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, eight days after their epic first-leg encounter in Parc des Princes. PSG won 5-4 at home, where seven players from both sides were on the scoresheet, including two braces from two Parisiens.
Following their opening-leg barnburner, Bayern Munich and PSG were held to draws in their previous league encounters against Heidenheim (3-3) and Lorient (2-2), as both powerhouses rotated their squads ahead of Wednesday evening. This was the right thing to do for them, as Bayern Munich already clinched this season’s Bundesliga title, while PSG are almost there in Ligue 1.
Talking Points
Fresher legs for Bayern Munich’s frontline
Bayern Munich didn’t have the incentive to go all-out against Heidenheim, as they’re already Bundesliga champions for the second consecutive season, so head coach Vincent Kompany deployed a makeshift frontline against them last time out. Nicolas Jackson started as the No. 9, with Leon Goretzka, Konrad Laimer, and Jamal Musiala behind him in the final third. Bara Sapoko Ndiaye drew his first start in midfield, and Jonas Urbig was the No. 1 goalkeeper. Kim Min-Jae and Hiroki Ito also replaced Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano in the rearguard.
Heidenheim were up 2-1 in the first half after Budu Zivzivadze, Eren Dincki, and Goretzka exchanged goals. Goretzka made it 2-2 before the hour mark, before Zivzivadze completed his brace to give Heidenheim back the lead.
That’s when Kompany decided to bring out his big guns, as Joshua Kimmich, Harry Kane, Luis Diaz, Alphonso Davies, and Michael Olise were brought on. And Olise saved the Bavarians from the jaws of defeat during stoppage time.
Olise has already accumulated 33 direct goal involvements (14 goals, 19 assists) this Bundesliga season, equalling the single-season record for a winger, previously held by Jadon Sancho in 2019-20 with Borussia Dortmund. The Frenchman has two league matches left to set a new record, and he’ll certainly cause PSG’s backline problems on Wednesday.
Kvaratskhelia on the cusp of making PSG history
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was one of PSG’s heroes during their opening-leg win against Bayern Munich, and the Georgian winger needs only one goal to set a new single-season Champions League record for PSG, having drawn level with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 10-goal tally from 2013-14 last week.
Kvaratskhelia, alongside Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha, and Marquinhos, took the day off in their draw against Lorient, and Luis Enrique’s men should be ready to go on Wednesday. However, the same can’t be said for Achraf Hakimi, as the Moroccan is nursing a hamstring injury he sustained in the first leg.
Ibrahim Mbaye, Pedro Fernandez, Senny Mayulu, and Lee Kang-In will be relegated to the bench after starting against Lorient, and Matvey Safonov should be back at the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper.
History
As often noted, PSG’s 5-4 win over Bayern Munich is the highest-scoring semi-final match in Champions League history, and both teams are a few strikes away from breaking Barcelona’s single-season record of 45 goals in the 1999-00 Champions League – with the Parisiens having 43 goals and the Bavarians having 42 goals thus far.
Prevailing by any scoreline in the opening leg usually means success for PSG, who have won 36 of their 43 European two-legged ties when winning the first leg, and 14 of their 17 when the win came by a single goal.
Of the 10 previous occasions where Bayern Munich dropped the opening leg of a European semi-final, the Bavarians have been eliminated nine times, only coming back to reach the final against CSKA Sofia in the 1981-82 European Cup. Following their draw against Heidenheim, Vincent Kompany’s side is on their longest winless run of the season.
Betting Tip
The Champions League 2026 odds predict Bayern Munich to bounce back from their first-leg loss and close out PSG at home. The Bavarians are priced to win at 1.69, whereas the Parisiens are 3.61 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.31 in the 1X2 market.
Given the collective firepower between these two sides, neutrals and fans from both sides can expect more Champions League 2026 highlights on Wednesday. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP punters can also add Over 4.00 at 1.77, Over 4.25 at 2.01, and Over 4.50 at 2.20 to the parlay.
However, with both defences expected to tighten up, the scoring could be a bit lower this time around, as the Correct Score of 5-4 in favour of PSG is quite a long shot.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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