The 2019/20 UEFA Champions League final is upon us. PSG and Bayern Munich, this year's two finalists, are gearing up for the highly-anticipated Sunday showdown, with one of these two European heavyweights set to come away with the coveted crown.
Victory this weekend would seal the treble for both sides. For the French giants, this is unfamiliar territory as they have never reached the Champions League final. For the Germans, however, it's a totally different story.
The Bundesliga have won this competition five times and will be keen to clinch title no.6 come Sunday. What are the odds of Lewandowski and Co. pulling this off? Does history back the Bavarians to win? Here's everything you need to know.
What's Bayern Munich's record in Champions League finals?
Played: 10
Won: 5
Lost: 5
If you were to bet on whether Bayern Munich would triumph or stumble, then it would a toss of the coin, given that they have won and lost the same number of Champions League finals. However, there is a bit more to it than simply that.
The Germans go through joy or heartbreak in succession, meaning they first win a few before losing a few and vice versa. For example, their first three titles came in successive seasons from 1974 to 1976 (1973-74, 1974-75, and 1975-76). After that came three consecutive defeats, losing 1-0 to Aston Villa in the 1982 final, 2-1 to Porto in the 1987 final, and 2-1 again but this time against Man United in the 1999 final.
Their 2001 triumph in penalty shootouts vs Valencia ended a 25-year wait. Unfortunately, what came after that were heartbreaks in -- you guessed it -- quick succession, losing the 2010 final 2-0 to Inter Milan and the 2012 edition to Chelsea on penalties. Their most recent final was in 2013 and that was one of redemption, beating domestic rivals Dortmund 2-1 to lift the trophy.
Bayern Munich's record in all European finals
Played: 16
Won: 8
Lost: 8
This record includes the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup, and the European Cup Winners' Cup. Once again, their record is 50/50.
Have Bayern suffered heartbreak/embarrassment in the UEFA Champions League final before?
Yes. Almost all of their five defeats were embarrassments, though not by means of the score line as the 2-0 loss to Inter Milan back in 2010 was their only defeat by a two-goal margin. Instead, die Roten lost those games despite the odds favoring them or by throwing away a lead in unforgettable fashion.
Take the 1982 final vs Aston Villa for example. The English side finished 11th in their domestic league and lost experienced goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer early on in the game. Despite this, Rummenigge and Co. could not find a way past the Lions and lost 1-0. In the 1987 final vs Porto, the Bavarians conceded twice in the space of three minutes late in the game to throw away a 1-0 lead. The exact same thing happened in the 1999 final vs Man United, except this time they conceded twice in stoppage time to lose 2-1 to the Red Devils in the now historic night at Barcelona.
The 2010 defeat to Inter Milan saw them outclassed by a Mourinho mastermind but the 2012 stumble was another embarrassment. Having lost both the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal titles to Dortmund, Bayern headed into the final in need of a victory. With the game being held at the Allianz Arena, the Germans had the home advantage. They took the lead in the 83rd minute via Muller but conceded the equalizer with only two minutes of normal time left. Arjen Robben would go on to miss a spot-kick in extra time, with the team eventually losing on penalty shootout.
What's Bayern record vs French clubs in European finals?
PSG have never made the Champions League final before but the Bundesliga giants have faced French clubs in European finals before. They were St-Etienne in the 1976 UCL final and Bordeaux in the 1996 Europa League ultimate game. The Bavarians won both ties, triumphing 1-0 and 5-1 (aggregate) respectively.
On the other hand, they have fared horribly against English clubs, losing crucial European finals to Aston Villa, Man Utd, Liverpool, and Chelsea – they did beat Leeds in the 1975 UCL edition and Chelsea in the 2013 UEFA Super Cup, though.
So with all that in mind, are Bayern Munich the favorites?
It is never easy to make a prediction regarding the Bundesliga heavyweights when it comes to European finals given their inconsistent record. Nonetheless, they have experience in this tournament and when you factor in their scintillating form this season, we can see the Germans walking away with their sixth Champions League title on Sunday.
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