Champions League final: Breaking down Bayern’s offense vs. PSG’s defense

The Champions League final between Bayern Munich and PSG will showcase a prolific offense against a stingy defense. Which side will dominate?

Bayern Munich is looking to win a sixth European title on Sunday in record-breaking style. The Bundesliga champions have scored a staggering 42 goals in just 10 tournament matches. Those goals include a 7-2 drubbing of Tottenham in the group stage and an 8-2 rout of once-mighty Barcelona earlier this month in the quarterfinals.

The Bavarian giants are led by Polish striker Robert Lewandowski’s 15 goals, making him the tournament’s top scorer entering the championship match against PSG.

Coach Hansi Flick said Lewandowski’s individual feats, however, won’t overshadow the team effort that has highlighted Bayern’s magnificent run to the final.

“He works a lot for the team. That’s very important,” Flick told reporters. “He’s also important defensively. For me, he is the world’s best center forward and I hope he scores against [PSG], too.”

Can Bayern continue their offensive pace against PSG?

Scoring against PSG won’t be easy. The Ligue 1 champions may be the only side in this competition capable of thwarting Bayern’s lethal attack. In fact, while PSG have scored just 25 goals in this tournament, their defense has only conceded five.

“How we defended, that is the most important,” PSG manager Thomas Tuchel said following his team’s 3-0 semifinal win against RB Leipzig. “The mixture between determination, spirit and quality.”

Indeed, PSG’s backline will have their hands full trying to stop Lewandowski, who has scored 55 goals across all competitions this season and tallied in nine consecutive UCL matches. He will be looking to break the record for the most goals scored in a single Champions League, a feat set by Cristiano Ronaldo with 17 in 2014.

A Lewandowski brace against PSG in Lisbon would equal the record, a hat trick set it. But Bayern’s offensive weapons aren’t limited to him. Midfielder Thomas Muller has been the attacking lynchpin in Flick’s 4-2-3-1 formation, alongside talented wingers Serge Gnabry and Ivan Perisic.

The team’s ability to effectively use the high line defense, with the added offensive runs by left back Alphonso Davies and quality of midfielder Leon Goretzka, have made Bayern Munich one of the biggest offensively threats in European club history.

PSG’s offense, with Brazilian star Neymar upfront and his countryman Marquinhos right behind him in a 4-3-3 lineup, can also effectively attack thanks to wingers Angel Di Maria and Kylian Mbappe.

Should defender Jerome Boetang be fit for the final, his marking of Mbappe will be fun to watch. While Boetang is one of the best defenders in the world, Mbappe should be able to get past him and make something happen in the final third. In terms of talent on the ball, the Frenchman is behind only Lionel Messi and Ronaldo.

Who will win the Champions League? It depends mostly on Bayern’s attack and PSG’s defense. We will find out on Sunday which side’s strengths will ultimately come through in what could be a clash people will be talking about for years to come.