Bayern Munich vs PSG Prediction: 26/11/2024

Bayern Munich, currently sitting in 17th place, is underperforming given their usual high standards. Their narrow 1-0 win over Benfica in the previous round was hard-earned, and they are still recovering from defeats on the road to Aston Villa and FC Barcelona, with scores of 1-0 and 4-1 respectively. The German giants, who last won the Champions League in 2020 against PSG, were finding their rhythm before the international break.

The break interrupted their momentum, which had included five consecutive wins across all competitions, all without conceding a goal. Bayern is leading the Bundesliga, sitting five points clear of second place, and remain undefeated so far in the season. They hosted Augsburg on Friday to continue their strong domestic run.

Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, has not performed up to expectations during the group stage. The French champions have won just one of their first four matches, a 1-0 victory over Girona that followed a lackluster display. They then suffered a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal, a 1-1 draw at home with PSV Eindhoven, and a 2-1 loss to Atlético Madrid in Paris.

This has left PSG in 25th place out of 36 teams in the rankings, though they are still in a position to qualify for the knockout rounds. Despite their poor form in Europe, PSG is dominating domestically and remains unbeaten in Ligue 1. Their focus is on extending their lead over their closest rivals, starting with their match against Toulouse last Friday to prepare for this tough fixture in Munich.

Bayern’s coach, Vincent Kompany, faces a few injury concerns. Summer signing Ito has yet to feature for the team, and Portuguese midfielder Palhinha is sidelined with an adductor injury, expected to return in December. Full-back Stanisic and midfielder Pavlovic are also recovering and should return before the year ends.

French international Olise, who has scored seven goals this season, started strong but has since slowed down. Up front, Harry Kane is in excellent form, with 5 goals in the Champions League and 11 in the Bundesliga, and is expected to lead the attack against PSG.

For PSG, the long-term injuries to Lucas Hernandez, Kimpembe, and Gonçalo Ramos continue to keep them out of action. However, all other players should be available, including full-back Hakimi, captain Marquinhos, and young star Zaire-Emery, who scored in their last match against Atlético Madrid.

The attacking options are strong, with Barcola (10 goals in Ligue 1), Dembélé (5 goals and 4 assists), and Kolo Muani leading the charge, although Kolo Muani has not been a favorite of coach Luis Enrique in the league. Still, none of these players have scored in the Champions League yet, and PSG has only netted two goals in their first four matches in the competition.

 

Prediction

Given Bayern Munich’s offensive strength at home in the Champions League and PSG’s struggles to score in Europe, it’s likely that both teams will find the net. Bayern’s recent home matches in the competition have been high-scoring affairs, and PSG has been involved in several away games where both teams scored.

Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 PSG.