The Champions League returns to action on Tuesday with a pair of matches, but with all due respect to Tottenham and AC Milan, the showdown between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in the City of Light is the clear headliner.
Bayern and PSG are the second and third favorites, respectively, to win the competition, so no matter what happens over these two legs, we know that one of the big boys won’t be making it through to the quarterfinals.
Let’s break down Tuesday’s first leg, which kicks off Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 3:00 p.m. ET on Paramount+:
Bayern Munich vs. PSG pick
Bayern +155 (FanDuel)
Paris Saint-Germain is in a tough spot. Les Parisiens have one goal every year – to win the Champions League – but have yet to accomplish that milestone despite signing superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr. and Lionel Messi. This year felt like it could be different, but some bad luck struck PSG over the past few weeks as Mbappe, Messi and Marco Verratti are dealing with injuries and are doubtful for the match.
Get a $50 Bonus Bet + up to $1K Back in Bonus Bets! with code NPBONUS50
21+. New customers only. AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV only. Tu0026amp;C apply
First bet up To $1,250 On Caesars
New players only, 21+. Available in AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA, WV only. Full T&C apply.
Get a No Sweat First Bet up to $1000!
New users only, 21 or older. Available in AZ, CT, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY only. Full T&C apply.
- Check out more of the Best Sportsbook Promo Codes
PSG has terrific playmakers to fill in for their injured superstars and against a Ligue 1 opponent it probably wouldn’t be a huge step back, but they’re going up against one of the best teams in the world on Tuesday, so it’s a pretty big deal if any combination of Mbappe, Messi and Verratti sit out.
And it’s not just the injuries that are a bit of a concern for the home team. PSG is also in some wonky form with three wins, one draw and a loss since New Year’s Day. Perhaps this slump is due to a World Cup hangover, but either way it is a concern ahead of Tuesday’s tilt.
Bayern Munich, meanwhile, is starting to find its form after a dip in January that saw them draw three straight matches. The Bavarians have won their last two Bundesliga contests by a combined score of 7-2 and have lost just once this entire season in all competitions.
Bayern’s defensive form has been strong all season, but the Bavarians have stepped it up since the World Cup break, allowing just five goals and 5.3 expected goals in five matches. Bayern has held four of its last five opponents to under 1.0 xG in that span.
There’s definitely some lineup news to sort out ahead of this huge match, but either way, Bayern look to be the value side. If it is announced that some combination of Messi, Mbappe and Verratti is in the lineup, we could see money come in on PSG – which would present a great buy opportunity on Bayern, who should have every chance to win this one on the road.