Bayern Munich’s head coach, Julian Nagelsmann, has revealed his tactical approach to nullifying PSG attackers Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe as the Bavarians find themselves facing the Parisians in a hotly anticipated decisive clash this Wednesday in the Allianz Arena.
In his recent interview with FC Bayern TV, he mainly spoke about the impact Mbappe had in the first leg after coming in as a substitute. “They (PSG) were without Kylian Mbappe from the start of the first leg. It influenced their game plan a little bit. Then when he came on, you saw it was simply a different way of playing.”
The “Die Roten” head coach expects the next game to be very attacking as they lead in the first leg by 1-0 and expects the Parisians to be pressing right from the beginning. He is also fully aware of the threat Messi and now a fully fit Mbappe possesses. “In the league, they generally play deep, looking for counter-attacking opportunities. Their game plan is also a bit reliant on which players are fit and available.”
He concluded by saying they could beat the fierce Parisians as a collective. “In terms of individual players, it’s definitely the same in many positions,” he said. “PSG have one or two top stars (Messi and Mbappe), just like we do. But I think a structure and a collective are important.”
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are both in PSG training ahead of the their UEFA Champions League clash against Bayern Munich 👀#messi #lionelmessi #mbappe #kylianmbappe #psg #ucl #uefachampionsleague pic.twitter.com/PT3t4F3H3U
— Khel Now World Football (@KhelNowWF) February 13, 2023
Bayern Munich vs. PSG Head to Head: Who is the better team?
Statistically, both teams— Bayern Munich vs. PSG— are on equal footing, with each side winning six times in their previous 12 UCL meetings. This will be the 13th Champions League match between the two European giants and the most the Parisians have ever come across any specific side in the tournament. However, Bayern has won three of their previous four home fixtures against PSG. They lost their most recent home game against the Parisians in the 2020-21 UCL quarterfinals, though.
Both of the teams are in excellent form, with each winning four of their last five games. Each team has also scored an astonishing number of goals. Bayern has averaged 2.87 goals scored, and 0.96 conceded. PSG has an average of 2.56 goals scored, and 0.96 conceded.
Both teams have also lost key players to injuries. The Bavarian side is without the services of captain Manuel Neuer and defender Lucas Hernandez. Hernandez suffered a cruciate ligament injury in France’s opening World Cup 2022 game against Australia, while Neuer injured himself skiing during his vacation following Germany’s World Cup 2022 exit.
The Parisians have star players Neymar, Achraf Hakimi, and Presnel Kimpembe all unavailable for their upcoming clash of the titans against Bayern. Neymar’s injury came in PSG’s 4-3 thriller against LOSC Lille, while Kimpembe injured his Achilles tendon in their 3-0 win over Marseille. Both of these players are out for the rest of the season. Hakimi, on the other hand, is suffering from a minor hamstring injury and is expected to return in a few days.
We expect this to be a high-voltage match, but what is your take on this highly anticipated fixture? Don’t forget to let us know in the comments!
