| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSG | +1/2 (-117) | +230 | Over 3 1/2 (+100) |
| Bayern Munchen | -1/2 (+101) | +107 | Under 3 1/2 (-116) |
The Champions League final may be happening nearly four months behind schedule and in a completely different country than initially planned, but a European champion will finally be crowned on Saturday. We have a stellar matchup between a couple of clubs that have been among Europe’s best for the past decade when Paris St. Germain faces Bayern Munich in Saturday’s showdown in Lisbon, Portugal.
The clubs have taken starkly different paths to get to where they are. Bayern has been arguably the most dominant side in Europe this season, which is crazy when you remember they sacked their manager to begin the campaign. Since Hansi Flick took over for the departed Niko Kovac last November, the German giants have gone on to win the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. It’s the 13th domestic double in Bayern’s history, but they will be looking to lift a third trophy to cap their season on Saturday afternoon.
PSG, meanwhile, have had much more time off than their German rivals. France’s Ligue 1 canceled the rest of its domestic campaign in April, which means Paris went about five months between competitive matches. The side has been in solid form since Champions League resumed earlier this month, with wins over Atalanta and RB Leipzig by a combined 5-1 score.
Bayern is +107 moneyline favorites to win Saturday’s showdown at BetOnline, while you can bet PSG at +230. The game has an over/under of 3.5 goals, so it figures to be an open, entertaining match.
PSG’s Rocky Road
This is the first time Paris has reached a European final in the club’s history. While the team’s brass has been willing to spend as much money as possible to bring a European title to the French capital, this is the closest they have ever achieved. PSG have routinely been beaten in the quarterfinals, but here they are.
At 1-0 down vs. Atalanta, PSG brought on Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Sergio Rico, two players who were relegated from the Premier League.
We all know what happened next… pic.twitter.com/VqgzVpa62K
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 13, 2020
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe combine to form one of the most lethal attacks in Europe. Frankly, though, Paris is lucky to have advanced this far. The French champions looked to be headed to yet another defeat in the quarterfinals against Atalanta, against whom they were down 1-0 in the game’s waning moments. Marqinhos and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting both found the back of the net in stoppage time, however, to propel the Parisians to an unlikely appearance in the next round.
PSG are not the most consistent side, and they have often failed to live up to their lofty expectations on the biggest stages. Paris has earned something of a reputation for coming up short in big moments, and Saturday’s game may well be the biggest in the club’s history. Neymar has won his fair share of trophies with Barcelona, but this will be his first real chance to do so without living in the shadow of Lionel Messi.
Bayern Look Unstoppable
Bayern Munich has scored a whopping 42 goals in 10 Champions League matches to this point. That’s no surprise considering their season-long form, of course. The German giants have scored 154 goals in all competitions, which is absolutely staggering. Robert Lewandowski has accounted for 55 of those tallies all by himself.
Neither side’s defense is all that solid, which makes the 3.5 over/under for this game look logical. Both teams like to get out and attack, and their defenses are often susceptible to counters. That’s particularly true of PSG, who rely heavily on Ander Herrera and Marquinhos to protect their vulnerable back-line. This may well be the last time we ever see the 35-year-old Thiago Silva suit up for Paris. Don’t be surprised if an in-form Lewandowski proves to be too much for this defense to handle.
🇵🇱 @Lewy_official in the @ChampionsLeague:
🏟 9 Games
⚽️ 15 Goals
🎯 6 Assists🔥 55 goals in all comps.
👏 Hansi Flick believes @FCBayern have the best striker in the world. pic.twitter.com/v5zbGL6VfE
— SPORF (@Sporf) August 20, 2020
While PSG has talent in midfield between Leandro Paredes, Marco Verratti, and Marqinhos, it’s not the most cohesive unit. PSG’s midfield has often suffered strange lapses defensively, which is similar to what we saw from Barcelona this season. What did Bayern do to Barcelona when they met in the quarterfinals? The Bavarian side racked up eight goals in the most lopsided European match in Barca’s history.
We know Bayern won’t catch Paris by surprise, but the Bundesliga champions are more than happy to capitalize on any mistake Paris makes in this one. PSG’s midfield has a way of getting pretty narrow when they’re in a defensive formation, and it’s safe to assume Bayern will be able to exploit that mismatch out wide. The pace of Alphonso Davies alone should be enough to give PSG’s midfielders nightmares heading into this one.
Which Side Will Prevail?
It’s just hard to imagine Paris outgunning Bayern here in what should be an up-and-down affair. Soccer betting sites are very optimistic about Bayern’s chances of lifting the trophy, but there is value to be had in the German side to win the game in regulation. While Bayern are at -180 to ultimately win the match, you can get them at very attractive +107 odds to do so within the allotted 90 minutes.
I’d expect Bayern to have most of the possession, which could lead PSG to look to find Neymar or Mbappe on the counter frantically. Bayern Munich’s attackers play a counter-pressing style that could coerce the French side into making some critical mistakes high up the pitch. If they do, Bayern has more than enough quality finishers around to make them pay dearly.
I wouldn’t necessarily expect a lopsided result here, but Bayern to win by any means looks like the way to go. You can get the Bavarian club at +101 odds to win by at least one goal, or you can bet that aforementioned 90-minute moneyline at +107. Any way you slice it, Bayern Munich looks like the clear-cut favorite here.
This has been the best team in Europe since the calendar flipped to 2020. It only makes sense that they would cap things off by winning their sixth European title on Saturday.
Pick: Bayern -1/2
Odds: +101
$100 Could Win You…$201
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith has been a staff writer with GamblingSites.org since early 2017. Taylor is primarily a sports writer, though he will occasionally dabble in other things like politics and entertainment betting. His primary specialties are writing about the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and domestic and international soccer. Fringe sports like golf and horse racing aren’t exactly his cup of tea, bu …
