PSG have many difficulties when meeting Bayern in the round of 16 of the Champions League 2022/23. Photo: Reuters.
Before the draw for the round of 16 of the Champions League 2022/23 teams takes place, besides Bayern, Man City, Real Madrid or Chelsea are other potential big rivals of the French club. But the new Bundesliga champion is a team whose style of play promises to cause many difficulties for PSG.
Contrasting style
In the last two Champions League seasons, Real Madrid or Man City have eliminated the defending Ligue 1 champions from the knockout round. However, in terms of style of play, these are two teams that do not really bring a nightmare to PSG.
In the encounters against Man City or Real Madrid in the Champions League 2020/21 or 2021/22, PSG played fair with the opponent. Meanwhile, Chelsea is unstable with new coach Graham Potter. If you had to choose, the French club’s leadership would probably rather win the lottery for the three clubs mentioned above than Bayern.
PSG themselves once defeated Bayern in the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2020/21, but that was the season the German club declined. More than 2 years after winning the Champions League in Portugal, Bayern changed a lot. Julian Nagelsmann’s team is the only club in UEFA’s European league system this season, to win all of the group stages.
Despite falling into a difficult group with Barca or Inter, the Bavarian team won all 6 matches, scored 18 goals and conceded 2 times. Bayern’s somewhat “destroying” form reminds people of the 2019/20 season, when coach Hansi Flick and his students also showed high performance since the group stage and defeated PSG themselves in the same group. Champions League final.
Robert Lewandowski is no longer on the payroll representing Germany, while young coach Nagelsmann has led this club for the second season. The drastic changes of Bayern towards an important goal of the football philosophy of this club. It always maintains the inspiration to win and does not depend on any individual, including the coach or the brightest player on the team.
When accepting to sell Lewandowski to Barca, the Bayern leadership said that it was an opportunity for the club to become stronger. “Bayern’s attack will not depend on anyone,” said Nagelsmann. “We will have the opportunity to upgrade and diversify the hit pieces.”
Up to this point of the season, the 35-year-old coach kept his promise. With 18 goals in 6 group matches, Bayern is the second best attacking team in the Champions League this season, just behind Napoli (20 goals). In the Bundesliga this season, they scored 41 goals in 13 matches, twice as many as the second ranked team Freiburg (20 goals). Even Dortmund have only scored 23 goals in 13 games.
Young coach Nagelsmann has brought out the best in what makes him highly regarded by experts, since he emerged half a decade ago. It is modernity, customization and flexibility in personnel and tactical options. Bayern’s style of play is elusive and the way their system operates is also constantly changing.
Sadio Mane leads Bayern’s goalscoring list this season with 13 goals in all competitions, but the Senegal forward hasn’t even been the one to impress in recent times. Young midfielder Jamal Musiala (11 goals) or super reserve Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (10 goals) are the two names that play sublime.
Bayern’s system does not depend much on any individual when, in addition to the three names mentioned above, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka or Thomas Muller all know how to score this season. That’s the opposite of PSG, which relies almost exclusively on the creativity of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
The above trio have been in high form since the beginning of the season, but when Neymar or Messi are absent, deviations in the way PSG operate appear. In the match PSG beat Lorient 2-1 over the weekend, Messi did not play. The Parisian team had to rely on a fixed situation and a mistake from the opponent’s goalkeeper to win all 3 points.
Mbappe’s worries
Mbappe’s big ego could get PSG into trouble against Bayern. The French striker caused a lot of trouble this season, and demanded that the whole team build a play around him. He struggled when he was not allowed to take a penalty, did not bother to run if his teammates did not pass. It is a taboo in football, especially when PSG meet an opponent who plays with total strength and has the ability to press as well as Bayern.
Mbappe must change his mind if he wants to help PSG overcome Bayern. Photo: Reuters.
According to statistics from Opta, Mbappe is the player with the lowest frequency of defensive support and pressing at PSG since the beginning of the season, with an average of 8.7 times of pressure on the opponent/90 minutes. Neymar is the best defensive support player for PSG in the above trio with 12.6 times/90 minutes. Messi has 11.5 times/match.
The numbers of all three players mentioned above are far behind Mane (19.8 times/match) or Musiala (17.6 times/match). The average rate of pressing opponents/match of Bayern’s attack is up to 16.3 times/match, the highest among the teams playing in the round of 16 of the Champions League this season.
Of course, it is still a long time before the round of 16 of the Champions League 2022/23 starts and the performance of both teams mentioned above will have many changes. PSG is still the leading candidate for the European championship this season.
No one can underestimate a team led by Neymar, Messi or Mbappe. But a German club like Bayern is a team capable of destroying PSG’s personal shine.
Results of the draw for the round of 16 Champions League teams this season.
Tuong Linh – Zing.vn | 19:15 07/11/2022
