Paris Saint-Germain will face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League 2019-20 final on Sunday. The former will be chasing their maiden UCL title. The latter is already a five-time champion. PSG are also playing their first Champions League final while Bayern have already been here in 10 previous seasons and won the title five-times, their last coming in 2013. But like PSG, Bayern also have made the final after four successive semi-final heartbreaks. PSG faced worse. A Qatar funded club with two of the world’s most expensive footballers in their ranks just made their first semi-final in 25 years – first since Qatar came onboard – and a first-ever final. Ahead of the big showpiece, take a look at the journey and road to finals of both Bayern Munich and PSG. PSG vs Bayern Munich, Champions League Final Live Streaming Online.
Both teams come into the final with an eye to clinch a continental treble with the Champions League title win. PSG won the Ligue 1 title and did the domestic Cup double in France football while Bayern did the same in the Bundesliga. The German club won the league and the DFB-Pokal Cup and can record their second continental treble with a sixth Champions League win. Take a look at the journey to the Champions League 2019-20 final of both teams. PSG vs Bayern Munich Dream11 Prediction in UEFA Champions League 2019–20 Final: Tips to Pick Best Team.
Bayern Munich
The German champions won all of their six UCL group league stages matches scoring a whopping 24 goals while conceding only five. They thrashed Crvena Zvezda 9-0 in two meetings, Tottenham Hotspur 10-3 and Olympiacos 5-2 to advance to the knockout stages with a clean slate in match results. Hansi Flick’s side faced Chelsea in the round of 16 and thrashed the Blues 3-0 at Stamford Bridge before adding insult to injury with a 4-1 win in the second leg at home.
With COVID-19 forcing the Champions League to change structure, format and reduce it from two-legged meetings to one fixture, Bayern arrived at Portugal with a blockbuster quarter-final clash against Barcelona. The match, however, was a completely different fixture. Bayern thrashed Barcelona 8-2 in the quarters before moving aside Lyon 3-0 in the final four stage to make their 11th UCL final.
Paris Saint-Germain
The French giants were placed in Group A and found themselves in a tough group alongside Real Madrid. Interestingly, their opening Champions League group stage match was also against the 13-time UCL champions. But PSG showed intent right from day 1 when they crushed Real 3-0 at home. Such was PSG’s domination that they could have won by a bigger margin. Then they came from two goals down to hold the La Liga champions to 2-2 draw away from home. PSG beat Galatasaray and Club Brugge 6-0 each across two legs to top group A.
Thomas Tuchel’s men faced Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 and lost 2-1 in the first leg away from home with their woeful UCL knockout history flashing once again. Their repeated failure to make it past the round of 16, PSG were beaten on away goals by Manchester United last season after winning the first leg away 2-0, once again highlighted the lack of big match preparation with the club. But Neymar and co. showed this time, this season was different. They beat Dortmund 2-0 in the reverse leg to win the last 16 round 3-2 on aggregate. PSG faced Atalanta in the quarter-finals and fell 0-1 behind in the first half.
It seemed they were on their way out. PSG were behind till the 89th minute before turning it around at the death two quick goals. The French champions then beat RB Leipzig 3-0 to make history and progress to their first final. They are in the hunt for a first Champions League title and only second European title.
It has been a strange Champions League season of all sorts. Strange format, a change in structure, games at neutral grounds. Yet for all the changes, the Champions League have once again lived up to its billing of pitting the best against the best. When Lyon ousted Manchester City and RB Leipzig did the same against Manchester City, the UCL Looked on course towards a thrilling final four.
The semi-finals were thrilling indeed but the biggest and better teams won. In the final though there will be no upsets. Will PSG make history and finally declare themselves as belonging to Europe’s elite or will Hansi Flick’s high-flying German side win their sixth Champions League crown? Sunday will tell us.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 23, 2020 04:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).