Bayern vs Paris Champions League preview: where to watch, predicted line-ups, form, coach's thoughts

Bayern host Paris in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday 6 May.

Where to watch the game on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.

What you need to know?

The first leg was a nine-goal, edge-of-the-seat thriller at Parc des Princes and the highest-scoring semi-final match in the Champions League era. With rapid exchanges and barely a moment to breathe, Paris edged it, emerging with a 5-4 victory to end a five-game losing run against Bayern – including a 2-1 reverse in this season's league phase – to hand the German champions just their second defeat of the campaign.

Seven different scorers delivered as the two most prolific sides in this season's competition lived up to their billing, and in Munich, more goals look guaranteed. It is the first time in the competition's history that two different clubs have each struck 40 or more goals in a single edition – Paris have 43 and Bayern 42 – with Barcelona's 1999/2000 all-time record of 45 now within reach.

Four more goals are required at Fußball Arena München to set the record for the highest-scoring two-legged Champions League knockout tie, and there is no shortage of incentive as among those chasing current top scorer Kylian Mbappé's 15-goal haul are Harry Kane (13) and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (ten).

With nine wins to Paris' seven in their 16 meetings in this competition, history offers Bayern encouragement – but with only one goal in it, the second leg may hinge on who blinks first.

Possible line-ups

Bayern: Neuer; Stanišić, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Kimmich, Pavlović; Olise, Musiala, Luis Díaz; Kane

Paris: Safonov; Zaïre-Emery, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha; João Neves, Fabián Ruiz; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia

Form guide

Bayern

Form: DLWWLW (most recent first)
Latest: Bayern 3-3 Heidenheim, 02/05, German Bundesliga

Paris

Form: DWWWWW
Latest: Paris 2-2 Lorient, 02/05, French Ligue 1

Views from the camps

Vincent Kompany, Bayern München coach: "Can people expect the same game as last week? It will always depend on both teams. If one decides to take a step back and defend more, then there could be some calmer phases in the game. Otherwise, there won't be. It's difficult to imagine that either team will change what brought them here in the first place. We're playing at home, we want to win and will do everything to achieve that."

Harry Kane, Bayern München striker: "It'll be who takes their moments. There were a lot of moments out there [in the first leg], and it's probably going to be the same next week. So, us being at home with the crowd behind us, we hope that can push us over the line."

Jonathan Tah, Bayern München defender: "Generally speaking, our style of play has brought us to where we are now. It makes no sense for us to change anything about it. We want to play attractive and attacking football. Of course, it's demanding, but that's our style of play and we won't change it. When I walk the dog outside, everyone talks to me about the game vs Paris. Everyone in Munich is ready and excited for this huge occasion."

Luis Enrique, Paris coach: "Tomorrow we're going to play in Munich and we will look to be more competitive than ever. Rafa Nadal once said that at one point in his career, his matches against [Roger] Federer and [Novak] Djokovic were the best motivation for him. That's what we want. We admire Bayern, but it's a motivation to be better. Tomorrow we're going to try to overcome a team that plays sensationally." 

Marquinhos, Paris captain: "The game there will be the same game – a crazy game between two teams that want to win and score. We need to go there with the same mentality, the same personality, so we can do an amazing job there."

Warren Zaïre-Emery, Paris midfielder: "We're going to try to impose our game, to press like we do in every match and to win back the ball as much as possible. This team is made to attack and that's what we're going to try to do tomorrow."

Reporter's view

James Thorogood, match reporter
A result that sent shockwaves through the footballing world. Two European heavyweights producing an all-time Champions League classic. Two formidable front lines going blow for blow in a nine-goal thriller. The good news? There's still 90 minutes left in this seismic semi-final.

Everything is set up for a special night in Munich. The six-time title winners against the reigning champions. Bayern eyeing a first final since 2020. Paris in town to fashion a chance to become only the second club in the Champions League era to defend their continental crown. Budapest beckons for the winners, and it promises to be another wild ride to get there.