Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is aiming to help Paris Saint-Germain close the campaign strongly when Bayern Munich visit Parc des Princes for the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday, with Luis Enrique’s team targeting another final and Bayern arriving as Bundesliga champions and regular rivals at this stage of European competition.
PSG reached the last four after a 4-0 aggregate victory against Liverpool, with Kvaratskhelia scoring in the first leg in Paris. Bayern advanced by eliminating 15-time European champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, and the winners of this tie will meet either Arsenal or Atletico Madrid in the Budapest showpiece next month.
These clubs are familiar opponents in the Champions League, having already faced each
other 15 times in the competition and nine times across the last nine seasons. Since the 2017-18 edition, only Real Madrid against Manchester City has been played more often, with 13 meetings, while PSG versus Bayern has occurred nine times during that span.
Bayern currently hold the upper hand in this series. The German side have won the last five Champions League clashes with PSG, which is the longest sequence any team has managed against the French club in major European competition. That run includes a 2-1 success at Parc des Princes in the league phase in November.
Kvaratskhelia has been central to PSG’s attempt to win back-to-back Champions League titles this season. The 25-year-old has produced 13 goal involvements in the tournament, with eight goals and five assists. That tally leaves Kvaratskhelia one contribution short of the club record for a single Champions League campaign.
That current PSG record belongs to Ousmane Dembele, who delivered 14 goal contributions, with eight goals and six assists, during last season’s title-winning run. Since Kvaratskhelia arrived at PSG last season, only Kylian Mbappe, with 19 involvements, has directly contributed to more Champions League goals for the club than Kvaratskhelia.
Across that period, Kvaratskhelia has 18 Champions League goal involvements for PSG, made up of 11 goals and seven assists. In the knockout rounds alone, only Raphinha, with 13 contributions, has more in the competition than the Georgian international, who has been involved in 12 knockout goals, scoring eight and setting up four.
"We played a lot of matches last season, so we were a bit tired at the start of this season, but we're now in great physical shape," Kvaratskhelia told reporters. "There are still a few games left of this season, and we need to end it in the best way possible. When they [Bayern] came to the Parc last November, we weren't as good as them. Tomorrow, though, two of Europe's best teams will be facing each other. "
"Under Luis Enrique, I've improved a lot defensively," Kvaratskhelia added. "With him, we need to defend like defenders! He's pushed me a lot, and I think I've made progress in that aspect in particular. "
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Kvaratskhelia also underlined the importance of Dembele, whose two goals in the second leg against Liverpool secured PSG’s place in the Champions League semi-final. "It's a real pleasure to play alongsideOusmane Dembele. He makes my job easier. He can do it all on the pitch, and that's why he won the Ballon d'Or," he said.
"The relationship between the strikers and the rest of the team is pretty incredible. When we turn up to training, everyone is smiling. I think that's one of the reasons behind our form, and it's why I'm proud to be here in Paris and to have made new friends. We're like a family now. "
PSG now enter the Champions League semi-final against Bayern with strong attacking numbers, improved fitness and confidence drawn from Kvaratskhelia’s form, Dembele’s influence and Luis Enrique’s tactical demands, as they attempt to overturn Bayern’s recent dominance in this fixture and return to the European final in Budapest.
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