This Tuesday at 9 p.m. (live on Canal+), Paris Saint-Germain (1st) will host Bayern Munich (2nd) at the Parc des Princes for the fourth matchday of the 2025–2026 UEFA Champions League. Ahead of the highly anticipated clash, Manuel Neuer, Bayern’s veteran goalkeeper, spoke in a press conference about the game and the European champions.
Neuer: “We’re excited to play against the European champions.”
How will you approach this match, four months after losing 0–2 to PSG at the Club World Cup?
“We actually played a great game at the Club World Cup, even though we lost. But it’s important to remember that the season was just beginning. The team is in great shape now, and I think tomorrow we’ll show our quality. We’re excited to play against the European champions.”
Which team is the favorite?
“I don’t think there’s a favorite. It will come down to details — the performances of both sides, and possible individual mistakes. Both teams like to have possession, both attack and defend well. We’ll have to stay fully alert. We want to hurt them.”
Neuer: “I always want to test myself against the best.”
You’ve played many big games in your career. Do you approach them differently at 39?
“I always want to measure myself against the best. The team’s atmosphere is very relaxed, which I really enjoy. It’s a privilege to play at this level. We couldn’t beat Paris at the Club World Cup, so if we can win this time, it’ll be a chance to show we’re still a force in Europe — even if we already are.”
What do you think of Lucas Chevalier, whom PSG signed to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma?
“He was at Lille before and had a great season. He’s very calm. I think PSG’s goal was to improve their ball-playing ability from the back. They’re a team that likes possession, and both he and Donnarumma are excellent goalkeepers — among the best in Europe.”
Neuer: “They have world-class players, a team full of quality.”
What impresses you most about PSG’s collective?
“We’re not intimidated — we’re excited to face PSG, a strong team with a great coach. They’ve been performing very well, and winning the Champions League last season makes them a real threat. They have world-class players and a team full of quality.”
Vitinha said this match would pit the two best teams in Europe against each other. Do you agree?
“We shouldn’t forget the others, but it’s definitely an exceptional match. Both teams are playing at a very high level right now. I have a good feeling — we’ve improved a lot since this summer.”
Neuer: “We’ll need to control dangerous situations well.”
How do you plan to stop PSG from scoring?
“Every team wants to have the ball — we’ll try to keep possession and push forward as much as possible. But we’ll probably find ourselves defending deep against Paris, because they handle those situations very well. We’ll have to manage dangerous moments carefully.”
Analysis
This PSG–Bayern clash promises to be a tactical summit between two schools of possession football. Under Vincent Kompany, Bayern have rediscovered their identity — short build-ups, coordinated pressing, and high full-backs designed to suffocate opponents. On the other side, Luis Enrique preaches a similar philosophy, but with an obsession for total control, even involving Lucas Chevalier (23) in the first phase of buildup.
Beyond its prestige, this confrontation symbolizes a modern rivalry between two interpretations of total football:
- Bayern’s version, a collective machine built on German rigor and structure.
- PSG’s version, a fluid, mobile system driven by Enrique’s tactical idealism.
The context adds extra tension: Paris defeated Bayern 2–0 at the Club World Cup, while Munich have since regained dominance in Europe. Both teams are leading their domestic leagues and stand as the current benchmark of European football.
At a packed Parc des Princes, this won’t just be a group-stage match — it’s a battle for tactical supremacy, a duel between two refined football projects, each seeking to prove it is the true standard-bearer of the continental game.
