The comment by PSG’s Portuguese midfielder Vitinha – “The clash between the two best teams in Europe” – is far from an exaggeration when Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) faces Bayern Munich on the field. One team is the reigning UEFA Champions League holder, while the other is a six-time champion. Setting history aside, the fierce rivalry between these two teams remains unchanged today. Both are at the top of the Champions League standings, and though their points and goal differences are equal, PSG sits at the top, having scored one more goal than Bayern.
Today, these two giants will face off in a Champions League match to determine who truly is the best team in Europe. For PSG, a tough test awaits at their home ground, Parc des Princes. Bayern has been in formidable form this season, having won their first 15 matches, setting a new record for the most wins in the top five European leagues. Bayern’s extraordinary performance has broken the previous record of 13 consecutive wins, set by Italian club AC Milan in the 1992-93 season. In those 15 matches, Bayern has scored 54 goals.
Vitinha and his PSG teammates will be aiming to stop Bayern’s winning streak. Ahead of the match, PSG star Vitinha stated at a press conference on Monday: “This match will decide who is the best team in Europe. We are two of the best teams. Bayern is in great form, and we’re doing well too, maintaining the consistency we showed last season. Today’s match will reveal who is the best.”
However, PSG head coach Luis Enrique doesn’t quite agree that this match will determine the best team in Europe. Speaking on Monday, he said: “To truly know who the best team in Europe is, we should wait until the end of the season. It’s when we’ll know how many trophies each team has won, and that will be the measure of success.” Still, he does acknowledge Bayern’s superiority at the moment, adding, “Right now, Bayern is incredibly strong. Winning 15 matches in a row is unbelievable. We’ve struggled to win three or four matches ourselves.”
While PSG has not dominated their domestic league to the same extent as Bayern has, their performance has not been poor either. Out of 11 matches so far, PSG has won seven, drawn three, and lost one. Enrique, however, believes that PSG’s supporters should remain confident in the team: “Is it time to analyse our performance right now? No, I don’t think so. Our supporters should trust us. We’ll take to the field with confidence at Parc des Princes.”
Meanwhile, Enrique had good news for PSG fans, revealing that Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé will be available for the match. After suffering a hamstring injury during Saturday’s game against Nice, Dembélé had limped off the pitch. However, Enrique confirmed: “I never take risks with players, but Ousmane is fit. He’s been training, and he will play today.”
Bayern’s coach, Vincent Kompany, has spoken about extending their winning streak even further, saying: “We’ve won 15 matches, which is great. But we need to maintain this momentum. This isn’t enough. I promise you that we will deliver a successful season.”
In the last 14 meetings between the two sides, Bayern holds the upper hand, having won eight matches, while PSG has won six.