Bayern Munich aims to reach the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals when they face current UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain. This quarter-final match is scheduled for Saturday, July 5th, at 6pm CEST, and will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Match Details
- Competition: FIFA Club World Cup
- Stage: Quarter-finals
- Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Kickoff: Saturday, July 5th, 6pm CEST
Probable Teams
PSG: Donnarumma – Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes – Neves, Vitinha, Fabián – Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia
Bayern: Neuer – Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanišić – Kimmich, Goretzka – Olise, Musiala, Gnabry – Kane
Match Notes and Commentary
The Stage is Set: The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is fully prepared and ready to host the match.
Musiala`s Hope: There`s anticipation for Jamal Musiala to play a significant part in the game. He is yet to complete a full match in the Club World Cup due to minor injury concerns. However, the Atlanta venue could be the stage for the talented 22-year-old to build on his group stage hat-trick against Auckland City. Coach Vincent Kompany stated about the Germany international, “He has trained over the last few days and is making good progress… We`ll see what his role against PSG will be.”
More from Kompany: Bayern`s Bundesliga-winning coach, Vincent Kompany, discussed his expectations for Paris`s tactics in the upcoming match. “PSG will press high and be very aggressive in their counter-pressing,” the 39-year-old mentioned. “They will likely say the same about us. The decisive factors will be individual and collective performance – and the ability to finish chances. It should be a great game,” the Belgian predicted.
Dembélé`s Potential Involvement: A key question posed to PSG coach Luis Enrique concerns the readiness of Ousmane Dembélé. The former Borussia Dortmund player has only played 28 minutes in the tournament so far due to a thigh issue upon arrival. Enrique explained, “Ousmane has trained with the squad throughout this week, and these sessions have provided me with information… I`m very happy to see him back with the team, but this is not the moment to disclose our information to the opponents. We`ll see.”
Vincent Kompany on Facing PSG: Kompany shared his perspective on the challenge: “I expect PSG to be at their best; they are a truly complete team. This is a fantastic challenge for us; I always enjoy playing against the strongest opponents. I haven`t seen many teams that can maintain such intensity for the full 90 minutes as Paris does. We are highly motivated for this encounter and the opportunity to defeat them.”
Luis Enrique on Facing Bayern: Luis Enrique commented on facing the German side: “We have played Bayern before, so we know this team. It promises to be an open game between two attacking sides, which I am sure the fans will enjoy. Our objective is clearly to continue in the competition. I don`t feel any sense of revenge… It will be a quarter-final, and for me, that`s ample motivation.”
Neuer`s View on PSG: Bayern captain Manuel Neuer offered his thoughts on the opposition: “They are very confident on the ball, technically strong, physically imposing, and constantly running – but I don`t think either side has a clear advantage,” he stated to the club website on Friday. “Success will come down to fine details and avoiding errors. They certainly won`t be looking forward to playing us.”
Bayern Training Update: As they prepared for the match against PSG, Vincent Kompany had his full squad available for Thursday`s training session, including Kingsley Coman.
Coman`s Recovery Progress: Following the speedy winger`s departure from a previous match due to injury just before the hour mark, the Bayern coach provided an update: “Hopefully it`s not too bad. We`ll see, a week is obviously very short.”
Battle of the Coaches: The match also features a tactical duel between coaches Luis Enrique and Vincent Kompany. Enrique has successfully led PSG to become European champions with an impressive, free-flowing style. His managerial record against Bayern Munich stands at one win and two losses from three games, including a loss while managing Barcelona in 2015 and a 1-0 defeat to Kompany`s Bayern earlier this season in the Champions League. With this being their only previous head-to-head as coaches, Kompany holds a slight historical edge in this compelling clash.
Leroy Sané`s Final Bayern Match: Leroy Sané shared his reflections after playing his last match for Bayern Munich in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 victory over Flamengo.
PSG`s Club World Cup Debut: This marks PSG`s very first appearance in the Club World Cup. They are determined to win the trophy on their initial attempt, which would add to their collection from a highly successful 2024/25 season, already including titles in Ligue 1, the French Cup, the French Supercup, and the Champions League.
Bundesliga Influence in the PSG Squad: The PSG squad includes several players with significant Bundesliga experience. The most notable are arguably Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi, both formerly of Borussia Dortmund, rivals to Bayern in `Der Klassiker`. World Cup winner Lucas Hernandez also joined PSG from Bayern in 2023. Additionally, former Eintracht Frankfurt defender Willian Pacho was an important player in PSG`s recent Champions League triumph.
PSG`s Attacking Threats: PSG possesses numerous dangerous players capable of challenging Bayern, reflecting their squad depth. Their forward line, potentially featuring Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, has proven almost unstoppable at times, with their direct dribbling and swift combination play creating problems for defenses throughout last season. Similarly, their midfield boasts exceptional quality with Vitinha orchestrating play alongside João Neves and Fabian Ruiz.
Bayern`s Preparation Insights: This video provides a look behind the scenes at how Bayern prepared for their round of 16 victory against Flamengo.
Harry Kane: `We Can Beat Anyone`: Harry Kane commented on the upcoming fixture: “It’s going to be another difficult match against PSG, they’ve had an unbelievable season. We already played against them this season and came out on top. We have to try to take the energy and the good feeling into this match. We know it’s going to be difficult but we feel like we can beat anyone when we’re at our top level. We need to recover well now and prepare.”
Players Shared Between Clubs: Beyond their intense encounters, these two clubs have also featured several top-class players who have played for both sides. Kingsley Coman is one such player. Lucas Hernandez is another, having moved to the Parisian club from Bayern in 2023. Juan Bernat, Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting, and Tanguy Nianzou are also among the players who have represented both PSG and Bayern.
Historical Clashes: These two sides share a history spanning 14 previous meetings, starting with the 1994/95 UEFA Champions League season. Arguably the most memorable of these matches was the 2019/20 Champions League final.
