Friday, 29 March, 2024, 1:31 AM
Advance Search
Home

Holders Bayern host embattled PSG without Lewandowski

Published : Wednesday, 7 April, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 358

BERLIN, APRIL 6: Holders Bayern Munich face a test of their ability to defend their Champions League crown without top-scoring striker Robert Lewandowski at home to embattled Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday.
A knee injury has ruled Lewandowski out of both the quarter-final home leg at the Allianz Arena and the return in Paris next Tuesday.
The timing could not be worse with Lewandowski sidelined for the two-legged repeat of last season's Champions League final when a Kingsley Coman header gave Bayern the title after a 1-0 win over PSG.
Of the 103 goals Bayern have scored either in the Bundesliga or Champions League this season, Lewandowski has contributed to 46 of them with either a goal or an assist. Yet Bayern proved at the weekend that they can win a big game without him.
Leon Goretzka hit the winner in Saturday's 1-0 victory at second-placed RB Leipzig to leave Bayern seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
"Obviously, they are better with Lewandowski," Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann said of Bayern. "But they have a world-class team and brilliant players to play in his place."
Having already faced Leipzig, Lewandowski's understudy Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is set to make only his third Champions League start this season against his former club. The 32-year-old Cameroon striker left PSG after coming on as a replacement against Bayern in last season's Champions League final.
"The anticipation is huge," Choupo-Moting said of facing his ex-club. "Perhaps nobody would have expected that we would meet again so quickly."
Bayern, who are on a run of 19 games unbeaten in the Champions League, have a score to settle with PSG, against whom they have lost five of their nine previous matches.
Yet PSG have their own problems, on and off the pitch.
Brazil superstar Neymar was sent off during Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Lille, who usurped Mauricio Pochettino's PSG as French league leaders.    -AFP








Latest News
Most Read News
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
  [ABOUT US]     [CONTACT US]   [AD RATE]   Developed & Maintenance by i2soft