Bayern Munich face a daunting challenge to retain Champions League
It has been a straightforward Champions League campaign for Bayern Munich until now. They cruised through the group stage involving Atletico Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg, and Lokomotive Moscow without losing a single game.
In the first knockout stage, Die Roten clinched a comfortable 6-2 win on aggregate against Lazio. Hansi Flick’s men have been dominant throughout the eight games until now. However, the road ahead from now is going to be very difficult after they were drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals on Friday.
The French club hammered Barcelona in the round of 16 with an aggregate score of 5-2. Under Mauricio Pochettino, they have been inconsistent in Ligue 1. However, they have some of the best attacking players in the world- Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr. If both of them are on it during the two legs against Bayern, then it is going to be very tight couple of games.
Along with booking a spot in the semi-final of the competition, PSG also has the extra motive of beating Bayern after losing to the German club in the final last season. It is going to be an intriguing tactical battle as Die Roten has looked vulnerable on the counter throughout the season. PSG has the attack to punish Bayern, but they have also been defensively suspect this season.
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Things are going to get even tougher for Bayern if they beat PSG in the quarter-final. The winner of the quarter-final between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund awaits them in the semi-final. Rekordmeister has enjoyed a good record against Dortmund in the last few seasons, but a CL knockout tie against rivals can get tricky.
Meanwhile, Manchester City has been one of the best teams in Europe. Since November, they had been on a long winning run across all competitions until the Manchester Derby a fortnight ago. Pep Guardiola’s team is resolute defensively and scintillating in the attack, so beating them will take a serious effort from Bayern’s players and coaching staff.
Last season’s CL win was special for Die Roten, considering the circumstances it came in. Defending the title through this run of fixtures will be even more satisfying. If Flick manages to keep the trophy at Allianz Arena, then this Bayern team will be a good shout for the best team in the club’s history.
Next. Three things to watch for as Stuttgart visit Allianz Arena. dark
As of now, Flick’s immediate focus will be on the Bundesliga as they host VfB Stuttgart later today. They currently have a slender lead of four points at the top of the table. With a clash against RB Leipzig still left in the league schedule, Die Roten will be hoping to at least maintain this lead by the time that game arrives.