Bayern Munich’s Julian Nagelsmann has plans firmly in place, will it be a back three or back four?

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann’s plans for the club’s massive Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain are firmly in place, but do not expect the boss to let the cat out of the bag just yet (you’ll have to wait a few more hours).

When asked about whether he would deploy a back three or a back four, Nagelsmann played coy.

“I’ve already made a decision on that. But the formation is not crucial. It’s more about the division of space. You can play very well in any formation and very badly in any. It’s about preventing the ball from reaching (Lionel) Messi, Neymar and (Kylian) Mbappe. But it’s not just them. Paris also have quick full-backs and other talented players. But PSG are also thinking about how to stop our players. The form of the day will decide,” Nagelsmann said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “The Champions League holds great importance for PSG. It’s an even tie, the odds are 50:50. We’re trying to play a good away game and pave the way for the second leg. I am very sure that we will play a top game tomorrow and I hope we will get a good result.”

Limiting the space his team gives to PSG’s “Big Three” will be vital in front of goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Nagelsmann is counting on the Switzerland international regardless of what formation he uses.

“His performance is very good, he’s good with his feet too. His start was not so easy. Yann is a smart guy with high self-demand. You always have the feeling that you can rely on him. I’m very glad we have him,” Nagelsmann said. “It’s always good to want to win every game. If we push through our plan, Messi and Mbappé shouldn’t get much space. Our plan is to make the spaces tight. They’re dangerous if they get the space they want.”

Interested in a proper, in-depth look at the game? How should Bayern Munich line up, what tactics should the team use, and what kind of impact will this game have on the future of Julian Nagelsmann? We have all that and more in the latest episode of our podcast. Listen to it below or on Spotify.

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