Bayern Munich face their biggest UEFA Champions League challenge yet as they travel to title holders Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. Still, the irresistible form of Harry Kane and their strong record against the French outfit are just two reasons why they will leave the Parc des Princes with all three points…
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After regaining the Meisterschale last year following a disappointing third-place finish in 2023/24, Vincent Kompany will have been eager for the Bavarians to take the next step in their development this campaign. However, he would not have expected such a phenomenal start even in his wildest dreams.
Fifteen matches into the season in all competitions, not only have Bayern not yet tasted defeat, they have won every game – a record in the history of Europe’s top five leagues. From the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup triumph over VfB Stuttgart to Saturday’s Matchday 9 Bundesliga win against Bayer Leverkusen, nobody has come close to halting the Bayern juggernaut.
Watch: Bayern vs Leverkusen highlights
Their start to the Champions League's league phase has been particularly convincing. They kicked off with a 3-1 win over FIFA Club World Cup champions Chelsea – who breezed past PSG 3-0 in the final of that tournament – before putting Pafos and Club Brugge to the sword with 5-1 and 4-0 victories respectively.
At the forefront of their dominance has been Harry Kane, who continues to age like a fine wine. The England captain has found the back of the net a remarkable 22 times in 15 games in all competitions, including five times in Europe.
Meanwhile, Kane’s performance in Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund showed there is so much more to his game than just finding the back of the net as he controlled the fixture from a deeper No. 10 position.
Kane has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season. - Maja Hitij
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While Kane continues to grab the headlines, it would be amiss to credit Bayern’s attacking threat solely to him. Signed from Liverpool in the summer transfer window, Luis Díaz has hit the ground running in Germany, with only Kane and Jonathan Burkardt scoring more goals in the top flight this term, while he sits second behind Farès Chaïbi in the assists chart.
Michael Olise has maintained the form that saw him named Bundesliga Rookie of the Year in 2024/25, amassing seven goals and seven assists in 15 appearances across all competitions, while Serge Gnabry’s four goals and three assists in eight Bundesliga outings suggest he is approaching his best once more.
The absence of Jamal Musiala is a blow, yet Bayern have uncovered another gem in Lennart Karl, who became the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League against Club Brugge before netting another stunner against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the league.
Watch: The best of Lennart Karl
The record champions’ strength in depth is further underlined by Nicolas Jackson, who has already scored two goals in the Champions League this campaign.
Of course, facing a PSG side that currently sits top of the league phase rankings after three matchdays is a tough ask, but Bayern’s recent record versus the Ligue 1 holders will only give them confidence. Munich’s finest have emerged victorious in six of their last eight meetings with the Parisians, including in the 2019/20 Champions League final.
The last game between the two, in the Club World Cup quarter-finals, ended 2-0 in PSG's favour, but given Bayern's current form, you would imagine they will see this latest clash as the perfect opportunity for revenge.
Bayern defeated PSG in the final to win the 2019/20 Champions League. - Peter Schatz
Their start to this term is also in keeping with Bayern’s incredible form in the group stage/league phase of the Champions League. Incredibly, they have lost just three of their past 51 such matches, showing that they rarely get caught out early on.
Kompany will need to be wary of the opposition’s attack, which has the potential to be devastating as Leverkusen found out in their recent 7-2 loss to Luis Enrique’s side. Ex-Borussia Dortmund forward Ousmane Dembélé is the current Ballon d’Or holder, while Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were pivotal to PSG’s continental success last season.
Nevertheless, Bayern are an impossibly tough nut to crack this term. They have conceded four goals in the Bundesliga this term, the best in the division, while they have shipped only twice in the Champions League – one fewer than PSG. Those strikes were hardly concerning, either; one came from Cole Palmer against Chelsea, while the other was a stunning strike from Pafos’ Mislav Oršić.
Dembélé impressed at Dortmund before joining Barcelona and then PSG. - HORSTMUELLER GmbH
This promises to be a mouth-watering encounter, and it gives Bayern a fantastic chance to back up their status as one of the pre-tournament favourites. To be the best, you have to beat the best, and Bayern have every reason to believe they will get the job done.