UEFA Champions League between the two heavy-weights of Europe: Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain. The final will be played on Sunday in Estadio da Luz, Lisbon. This will be the 65th Champions League Final. This will be the 11th final in which Bayern Munich will feature. However, it is only the first time that the French club Paris Saint-Germain have qualified for the UEFA Champions League Final. Previously both teams have met eight times, all in group stages. This will be their first knockout game against each other.
Robert Lewandowski vs Thiago Silva
Robert Lewandowski is in tremendous form this season. He has scored 55 goals in 46 games this season in all competitions. Out of which 15 have come in this season’s UEFA Champions League. He has scored in every game he has played this season in the UEFA Champions League. However, he will be up against one of the best defenders in the world, Thiago Silva. He is the most experienced player in this Paris Saint-Germain’s squad. This will be a battle between a world-class striker and a world-class defender. Robert Lewandowski’s movements in the box make him difficult to mark during set-pieces and corners. But Thiago Silva is great in duels, especially against high-quality players. Thiago Silva will also have pressure to lead the club in their first-ever UEFA Champions League triumph. It will be a thrilling battle between two of the most experienced players in their respective squads.
Thomas Muller vs Presnel Kimpembe
The German international will play his fourth final for Bayern Munich. He has featured thrice before in the UEFA Champions League Final against Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Borrusia Dortmund. However, he has only won the trophy once against Dortmund in 2013. He is a very tricky player to deal with. Thomas Muller is also an important key in Bayern Munich’s high press mechanism. Kimpembe however, will be playing the first big final of his career. He surely will be under pressure throughout the game. But, he is an excellent player with great. He has made 23 tackles this season and has a success rate of 65%. He even has won 64% of his duels. But will his inexperience in big games let him down in the final?
Serge Gnabry vs Juan Bernat
Serge Gnabry in the third top-scorer in UEFA Champions League this season just one goal behind Borrusia Dortmund’s Erling Haland. He scored a brace against Lyon in the semi-final. Serge Gnabry will be very confident going into the final. Juan Bernat will surely have a hard time defending Gnabry as he is in a great form. However, Juan Bernat has 100 tackles this season alone in the UEFA Champions League. He will have to look at Gnabry’s diagonal run as he shoots from outside the box. The players will go equally against each other especially on a big stage like the UEFA Champions League Final.
Alphonso Davies vs Angel Di Maria
The 19 years old Alphonso Davies is having a great season. Not to forget it is his debut season for Bayern Munich. His assist against Barcelona in the quarter-final was surely world-class. Angel di Maria is this season’s top assist provider with six assists. However, Alphonso Davies has three assists to his name despite being a defender. This shows how he likes to go high up the left flank of the pitch. Angel di Maria has a great pace and will be looking for this opportunity to expose the space behind Davies. Will the youngster still risk going high or will he play more defensively?
Jerome Boateng vs Kylian Mbappe
We all know how good Kylian Mbappe is. The 21 years old has already won a World Cup for his national side France in 2018, with a great performance in the competition. He also has five goals and five assists on his name in nine appearances in UEFA Champions League this season. However, he will face Jerome Boateng. He is a very experienced and high-quality defender. Great in the aerial duels and also in making the interceptions. But his lack of pace will be crucial, as Mbappe is very quick. Mbappe can easily get behind him and cause trouble. He needs to be alert throughout the game. A battle between an experienced defender and a young attacker is always exciting to watch.
Joshua Kimmich vs Neymar JR
It is not easy even for world class defenders to mark Neymar throughout the game. Especially when he is in such a great form. However, if there is any right-back who can compete with him currently is Joshua Kimmich. Kimmich likes to go high on the pitch just like his teammate Alphonso Davies. Exposing the defense. Neymar will be looking for this opportunity to counter attack. Will Kimmich risk going high up with the task to mark Neymar? It will be a battle of two high quality players and will be a treat to watch them play against each other.
Unlike Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain have a tremendous pace in their attack, with Neymar, Mbappe and Angle di Maria. Will Bayern Munich still go with their high line technique as they did against Barcelona or will they change their tactics for this lethal Paris Saint-Germain attack? Bayern Munich will be very confident coming into the final with their recent victory over Barcelona. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich both have defeated their semi-final opponent by 3-0. So, the confidence will be high amongst every player in both the dressing rooms. Will Bayern Munich clich their sixth UEFA Champions League title? Or will Paris Saint-Germain come over the top to win their first ever European trophy?
