New year, new Champions League format. Same classic Bayern Munich matchups.
It was inevitable, right? Perhaps because the big clubs all have so much history between them, the Champions League draw often feels like destiny. In Bayern’s case, not only have they drawn FC Barcelona yet again — the club where former Bayern legends Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski now coach and play, respectively — but it is also another matchup against familiar foes Paris Saint-Germain, only this time in the group stage (sorry, League Phase).
The last time the Bavarians faced Paris, they were knocked out in a heart-breaking quarterfinals clash in 2021 that got heated by the end. The time before that? The unforgettable 2020 Champions League Final in Lisbon, when Flick & Bayern triumphed courtesy of a Kingsley Coman winner.
Even Bayern’s CEO, Jan-Christian Dreesen, can’t help but feel tied to the hip with PSG, as he anticipates another exciting season of UCL action.
“We’re happy with the opponents we have been drawn against. I have just told Nasser Al-Khelaifi from PSG that we are almost like a ‘married couple’ in the Champions League because we are constantly playing against each other,” Dreesen said last month following the draw, in comments captured by @iMiaSanMia. “It will certainly be an exciting encounter. I am glad that we have this game at home.”
But maybe surprisingly, it was not PSG or Barça that Dreesen singled out for anticipation — but a less vaunted Premier League foe against whom Bayern also goes way back. Way, way back.
“For me personally, Aston Villa is a very attractive opponent. The last time we played against them in the final was 42 years ago,” Dreesen continued. “Our first priority is the Bundesliga, that’s the most honest title. But we have the dream of the Champions League final in Munich.”
Can it happen again? It isn’t every year a club gets to host the Champions League Final in its own stadium. What kind of story will Bayern write this season?
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen? Then check out our Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show where we cover everything from the starting XI selections, a rundown of the scoring and substitutions, observations from the match, and where things go from here. You can get the show on Patreon, Spotify, or below:
