This Tuesday at 9pm (CET) Paris Saint-Germain faces Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of the semi-final (second leg on May 6) of the 2025-2026 Champions League. In a press conference, the Bavarian défender Dayot Upamecano (27-years-old) spoke about this match and the Parisian opponent.
Upamecano: “We want to impose our game and win.”
“It’s a big match for us. We’re totally focused. We want to impose our game and win. Of course, PSG has some very great players, a great coach, but we’re focused on our own game and we want to win at the Parc des Princes.
Olise?
I have to defend against him in training and it’s very difficult (smiles). He can do practically everything and when he has the ball, he thinks: ‘I have to get past Dayot’… But he’s a player who works very hard. He’s my neighbor. I ask him what he’s going to do after training, he often tells me he’s going to work… He wants to improve. I’m happy to play with him on the French national team and at Bayern.
Upamecano: “It’s incredible to find ourselves in the Champions League semi-finals.”
Dembélé?
We come from a town of 50,000 inhabitants (Évreux). It’s incredible to find ourselves in…” Champions League semi-final… I can’t wait to face them. It’s happened before, but it’s a new match, and we’ll be ready to defend our teams.
Were you close to signing for PSG?
I’m at Bayern. It’s the best club in the world. I’m very happy to be at Bayern.”
Upamecano’s message is clear: Bayern Munich isn’t going to the Parc des Princes to wait, calculate, or limit the damage. Facing a Paris Saint-Germain side still riding high on its European status, the Bavarian defender primarily wanted to remind everyone of his team’s identity.
Respect is there, especially for the individual quality of the Parisians and the work of Luis Enrique, but it’s no excuse for a cautious approach. In his speech, Upamecano positions Bayern as a team aiming for dominance, with the idea of imposing their style of play and taking the initiative. That’s the difference between fearing PSG and recognizing their strength: Munich knows the danger but wants to respond with their own strength.
His comment about Ousmane Dembélé also adds a more personal touch to this clash. Both players share a strong connection to the Eure region, but on Tuesday evening, personal feelings will clearly take a backseat. Here again, Upamecano set the tone: respect, anticipation, and then a battle.
