Mbappé vs Bayern Munich Part 2: Champions League in numbers

Published on: 13 April 2021

With the help of Opta, we look at how Kylian Mbappé can claim a slice of Champions League history and help PSG get revenge on FC Bayern, while Chelsea face Porto.

Paris Saint-Germain are 90 minutes away from avenging their Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich.

The Ligue 1 champions go into the return leg of the quarter-final with Bayern at the Parc des Princes with a one-goal advantage and with their talisman eyeing a slice of history in Europe's elite club competition.

If PSG complete their task and ensure there is to be a different name on the trophy this year, then in-form Chelsea will fancy their chances of lifting club football's most sought-after prize.

Led by the man who guided PSG to the showpiece last season, the Blues hold a comfortable lead in their last-eight encounter with Porto.

All the evidence points to Chelsea going through to the semis as they look to replicate their team of 2011-12, who overcame Bayern in a penalty shoot-out in the final.

Here we look at Tuesday's quarter-final clashes with the help of Opta numbers.

 

Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich - Omens against holders as Mbappe eyes record

The holders must score at least twice if they are to keep their hopes of retaining the trophy alive, having lost the home leg of this rematch of last season's final 3-2 at the Allianz Arena.

And history is against Hansi Flick's side turning it around. 

PSG have won all four previous games when they have hosted Bayern in European competition between 1994 and 2017.

Bayern have been eliminated on each of the most recent four occasions they have lost the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie, while only three of the past 50 teams to lose the first leg at home in the competition have progressed.

However, one of those teams did so against PSG, Manchester United coming from behind to knock out the Ligue 1 side at the Parc des Princes in the last 16 in 2018-19.

If PSG are to unseat the champions, they will likely look to Kylian Mbappé.

Mbappé was on target twice in the first leg and has eight goals in as many appearances for PSG in the Champions League this season. If he nets again on Tuesday, he will set a new record for the most goals by a French player in a single Champions League campaign, surpassing David Trezeguet in 2001-02 and Wissam Ben Yedder in 2017-18.

Should he score against Bayern once more, he will have netted in four consecutive knockout appearances for the second time in his career, having done so with Monaco in 2017, and would become the first PSG player to achieve that feat. 

 

Chelsea v Porto - Seville shock unlikely to be on the cards

Thomas Tuchel's Blues will not have the benefit of any home comforts when Chelsea attempt to finish the job and reach the last four having won 2-0 in the first match.

As with the opening leg, Chelsea and Porto will do battle in Seville due to coronavirus restrictions, with the odds firmly in the London club's favour.

Indeed, there have been only four previous instances of a team progressing after losing the home leg of a Champions League knockout tie without scoring â€“ Ajax in 1995-96 v Panathinaikos, Inter in 2010-11 v Bayern, United in 2018-19 v PSG and Tottenham in 2018-19 v Ajax.

Porto pulled off one of the shocks of the Champions League when they knocked out Juventus in the last 16, however, they will need to reverse a worrying trend if they are to do the same to Chelsea.

Since beating Leicester City 5-0 in the group stages of this competition in December 2016, Porto are winless in seven matches against English sides in the Champions League (D2 L5), scoring only twice while conceding 16 goals themselves.

The smart money is on that streak continuing, with Chelsea unbeaten in the Champions League this season (P9 W7 D2 L0).

They could become the first Premier League team to go unbeaten across their first 10 games in a season in the competition since Liverpool in 2017-18 (11 games).

A solid defence has been key to their success in Europe this term, as Chelsea have kept seven clean sheets in nine Champions League matches this season, the joint-most along with Manchester City; the last side to keep more clean sheets in a single campaign in the competition was Juventus in 2016-17 (nine).

The Blues are looking to keep a clean sheet in four consecutive matches in the tournament for the first time since a run of six ending in March 2008. 

Great credit for that run must go to goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who can tie the record of Fabian Barthez (eight with Manchester United in 2002-03) for the most consecutive Champions League games won by a goalkeeper for an English club with another triumph over Porto.

Source: m.allfootballapp.com

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