The first leg of this Champions League semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern was nothing short of spectacular—a nine-goal thriller that set a new record for the most goals in a single semi-final match in the competition's modern era (since 1992/93). The only time a European Cup semi-final saw nine goals before this was back in 1959/60, when Eintracht Frankfurt faced Glasgow Rangers. Now, all eyes turn to Wednesday's second leg at the Allianz Arena, where Bayern Munich look to overturn a 5-4 deficit and punch their ticket to the final in Budapest.
It's no surprise these two sides lit up the scoreboard. Both teams have been on a goal-scoring rampage all season. For the first time in Champions League history, two clubs with more than 40 goals each in a single campaign are facing off—PSG with 43 and Bayern with 42. But here's the kicker: Bayern reached that mark in two fewer games, thanks to PSG having to go through the play-offs. Bayern's average of 3.23 goals per game is the best in the competition, with PSG close behind at 2.87. Both are chasing the all-time record of 45 goals set by Barcelona in 1999/2000, and with the way they're playing, that mark could fall.
History is on Bayern's side when it comes to overcoming first-leg deficits. The Bavarians have lost the opening leg of a Champions League knockout tie 16 times, and they've advanced on four of those occasions. Most recently, in the 2023/24 round of 16, they lost 1-0 to Lazio away before storming back with a 3-0 win in Munich. That kind of resilience is exactly what they'll need against a dangerous PSG side.
Speaking of history, Paris Saint-Germain have lost more away matches against Bayern than against any other team in Europe's top club competition. Bayern have won five of their seven home meetings with PSG, with four of those wins coming by a margin of two or three goals—including the last two at the Allianz Arena. That home advantage is no small factor. The Allianz has been a fortress in the Champions League: Bayern have lost just one of their last 29 home matches in the competition and have won all six of their home games this campaign.
Then there's Harry Kane. The English striker gave Bayern the lead in the first leg, continuing a remarkable run of form. He has now scored in each of his last five appearances in Champions League knockout games, making him the man to watch as Bayern look to complete the comeback. With the Allianz Arena roaring behind them and a track record of turning deficits into victories, all signs point to another memorable night in Munich.