In perhaps what is the least surprising result in this season’s Champions League restart, Bayern Munich have stormed into the final after another goal-studded display.
Serge Gnabry scored twice and the Robert Lewandowski netted his 55th goal of an incredible season as treble-chasing side defeated Lyon 3-0 in Lisbon on Wednesday to set up the summit clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
Bundesliga and German Cup winners Bayern are seeking a repeat of their 2013 treble with French giants PSG attempting to lift the trophy for the first time in club history.
Bayern, who are eyeing their sixth European title, are on course for beating a host of records this season irrespective of whether they win the title or not.
Read: The great ‘Serge’ of Gnabry: From not good enough for West Brom to Champions League finalist
Bayern Munich are now three short of equaling the all-time record for most goals scored by a team in a single Champions League season. The dominant goal fest in the quarter-finals against Barcelona where they scored eight, helped this streak to a large extent.
However, it is important to not that Bayern have achieved this feat in far fewer matches than the other teams on this leaderboard, as the competition has been played out in a single-legged format this season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Most goals scored by teams in single UCL season
| Team | Season | Goals scored | Matches played | Goals per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 1999-'00 | 45 | 16 | 2.8 |
| Bayern Munich | 2019-'20 | 42* | 10 | 4.2 |
| Real Madrid | 2013-'14 | 41 | 13 | 3.2 |
| Liverpool | 2017-'18 | 41 | 13 | 3.2 |
| Real Madrid | 2016-'17 | 36 | 13 | 2.8 |
This Bayern Munich team have the highest goals per game ratio in Champions League history having scored their 42 goals in just ten matches.
However, goals don’t always guarantee success. Three out of the five teams on that chart failed to win the Champions League in that particular season with only the Real Madrid teams of 2013-’14 and 2016-’17 winning the trophy. Can they do it again against PSG?
The Bavarians became the only team to start the Champions League with ten successive wins. They also equaled the record for the most consecutive wins in the competition and would set a new record if they beat PSG in the final.
Most consecutive wins in Champions League
| Team | Most consecutive wins | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Bayern Munich | 10* | 2019-'20 |
| Bayern Munich | 10 | 2012-'13 and 2013-'14 |
| Real Madrid | 10 | 2013-'14 and 2014-'15 |
| Barcelona | 9 | 2014-'15 |
| Barcelona | 9 | 2002-'03 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 8 | 1996-'97 |
Bayern Munich have reached their 11th final in the competition equaling AC Milan’s record in the European Cup. Only Real Madrid have made more appearances in the final than Bayern Munich.
Most appearances in Champions League finals
| Teams | Final appearances | Number of titles |
|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | 16 | 13 |
| AC Milan | 11 | 7 |
| Bayern Munich | 11 | 5 |
| Liverpool | 9 | 6 |
| Juventus | 9 | 2 |
| Barcelona | 8 | 5 |
| Benfica | 7 | 2 |
| Ajax | 6 | 4 |
| Inter Milan | 5 | 3 |
| Manchester United | 5 | 3 |
Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski has been at the heart of their Champions League surge and the Polish striker has been breaking records all along. He is now the top scoring player and assist provider in the Champions League this season.
Top goalscorers - UCL 2019-'20
| Pos | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 15 |
| 2 | Erling Haaland | Salzburg/Borussia Dortmund | 10 |
| 3 | Serge Gnabry | Bayern Munich | 9 |
| 4 | Dries Mertens | Napoli | 6 |
| 4 | Harry Kane | Tottenham | 6 |
| 4 | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City | 6 |
| 4 | Memphis Depay | Lyon | 6 |
| 4 | Gabriel Jesus | Manchester City | 6 |
| 5 | Kylian Mbappe | PSG | 5 |
| 5 | Heung-Min Son | Tottenham | 5 |
Top assist providers - UCL 2019-'20
| Pos | Player | Club | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 6 |
| 1 | Angel di Maria | PSG | 6 |
| 3 | Kylian Mbappe | PSG | 5 |
| 3 | Hakim Ziyech | Ajax | 5 |
| 3 | Houssem Auoar | Lyon | 6 |
Lewandowski is now in touching distance of Ronaldo’s goalscoring record in a single Champions League campaign. He needs a brace against PSG in the final to equal the record and a hat-trick to break it.
Most goals in single UCL season
| Rank | Player | Season | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2013–14 | 17 |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2015–16 | 16 |
| 3 | Robert Lewandowski | 2019-20 | 15* |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2017–18 | 15 |
| 4 | José Altafini | 1962–63 | 14 |
| 4 | Lionel Messi | 2011–12 | 14 |
| 5 | Ferenc Puskás | 1959–60 | 12 |
| 5 | Gerd Müller | 1972–73 | 12 |
| 5 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | 2002–03 | 12 |
| 5 | Lionel Messi | 2010–11 | 12 |
| 5 | Mario Gómez | 2011–12 | 12 |
| 5 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2012–13 | 12 |
| 5 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2016–17 | 12 |
| 7 | Lionel Messi | 2018–19 | 12 |
The Polish striker has been in stunning form this season and has scored in every Champions League match. Ronaldo once again holds the all-time record having scored in 11 straight matches.
Longest scoring streaks in UCL history
| Player | No of consecutive matches in which goals are scored | Season | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 11 | 2016-'17 and 2017-'18 | Real Madrid |
| Robert Lewandowski | 9* | 2019-'20 | Bayern Munich |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy | 9 | 2002-'03 | Manchester United |
| Luis Aragones | 8 | 1973-'74 | Atletico Madrid |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 8 | 2013-'14 | Real Madrid |
The statistics may suggest that Bayern Munich have done enough already to win the Champions League already, football doesn’t work that way.
In PSG, Bayern have opponents that can hurt them. With the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Angel di Maria in their ranks, PSG possess enough quality to outscore Bayern Munich on the night even though they have been scintillating in front of the goal.
“Lyon fought hard and made things hard for us, we know PSG have quick players and we will have to organise our defence differently,” said Bayern coach Hansi Flick after the semi-final win.
However, history does favour the German side.
Irrespective of who wins it Bayern Munich and PSG have been huge credit to the Champions League this season, entertaining fans with some stunning displays of attacking football. In a year when the Covid-19 pandemic threatened to end the campaign prematurely, this potential goal fest between these two great teams is a fitting way to end the season. Bring it on!
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!