Final reloaded! Organisation and determination required against PSG

It’s time for the rematch of last year’s Champions League final! FC Bayern host Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening (live text and Webradio commentary from 21:00 CEST on fcbayern.com) in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. 227 days after their last meeting in the final of Europe’s premier club competition, the Munich men are aiming to give themselves a good position for the return leg next Tuesday (13 April). “It’s a new game. Paris have a new coach. We want to get to the semi-finals and we’ll have to approach the games very focused,” said FCB coach Hansi Flick in Tuesday’s press conference. Our preview has all the info you need.

Bayern completed the final preparations for the clash with PSG on Tuesday. Here are the best images:

The situation for FC Bayern

Flick’s side go into the match against PSG in confident mood after taking a big step towards the Bundesliga title with a 1-0 win in the top-of-the-table clash at RB Leipzig on Saturday. The German record champions have also been in flying form in Europe over recent months and are unbeaten in their last 19 games in the competition. Now it’s a case of continuing that impressive run against the Parisians. “It’s two games against a great team. We need to answer on the pitch and be very focused,” said Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting faces his former club:

The opponents: Paris Saint-Germain

After suffering their third successive home defeat in Ligue 1 against Lille on Saturday and thus losing top spot, the trip to Munich probably comes at the right time for PSG. The serial French champions, who have won the Ligue 1 title in seven of the last eight years, have won their last seven away outings in all competitions, including a 4-1 victory at Barcelona in the round of 16 first leg, which set them up for progression to the last eight. “They have a solid defence, a good goalkeeper and of course a huge amount of quality in attack when they win possession,” Flick described. “We need to close the gaps and the passing routes so that we can put whoever’s in possession under pressure early.”

Learn even more about the opponents from the French capital here:

The team news for FC Bayern vs. PSG

Jérôme Boateng and Alphonso Davies return to the squad after being suspended for the Bundesliga win at Leipzig. Along with Robert Lewandowski (ligament strain in right knee), Corentin Tolisso (torn tendon) and Douglas Costa (rehab after metatarsal fracture), Bayern will be without Marc Roca, too. “Marc was injured on Sunday, so he won’t be involved,” confirmed Flick. Serge Gnabry is also unavailable after testing positive for coronavirus.

PSG are missing two players due to positive coronavirus tests in Italian pair Alessandro Florenzi and Marco Verratti, while ex-Bayern man Juan Bernat (cruciate ligament tear), Leandro Paredes (suspension), Mauro Icardi (thigh problem) and Layvin Kurzawa (calf injury) have also not travelled to Munich.

What the coaches say

Hansi Flick: “It’s important that we have a good shape in possession and also think about our defensive cover, so that when we lose the ball we can get it back quickly. But it’s also vital that we don’t worry too much about what happens when the opposition have the ball, but rather execute our attacks with confidence. We need to be a bit more determined than we were against Leipzig. There’ll also be situations for us that we need to work better and more systematically than at Leipzig.”

Mauricio Pochettino (Paris Saint-Germain coach): “Bayern are the holders and the world champions. They have a well-balanced attacking game. We must try not to lose the ball in dangerous areas. We know they have a great team, but we’re confident and know our qualities. We want to win the game.”

Watch the full press conference with Flick and Pavard:

The referee: Matéu Lahoz

Matéu Lahoz from Spain is the referee for the first leg between Bayern and Paris Saint-Germain. To date, the 44-year-old has officiated four games involving the German record champions, most recently last year’s semi-final against Olympique Lyonnais (3-0). FCB have come out on top in three of those four matches, with the only defeat coming against none other than PSG in 2017. The assistant referees are Iñigo Prieto and Roberto del Palomar, while Alejandro Hernández is the video assistant.

You’ll find the key facts and stats ahead of the game here: