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Aug 23, 2020 at 8pm UK at Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica
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BayernBayern Munich

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Champions League final: The story of Bayern Munich's season

Sports Mole takes a closer look at Bayern Munich's 2019-20 campaign to date as they prepare for Sunday's Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain.

A campaign that started terribly for Bayern Munich could yet end as the greatest in their history as they have a chance to seal a domestic and European treble this weekend.

The Bavarian giants have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal - now focus turns to Sunday's Champions League final with French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Only once before have Bayern won a treble - in 2012-13 - but this would arguably outrank that previous achievement given the manner in which they have crushed their opponents.

Ahead of Sunday's clash with PSG in Lisbon, Sports Mole takes a closer look at Bayern's domestic and European campaigns to date.

Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry celebrates scoring against Lyon in the Champions League on August 19, 2020© Reuters


Bundesliga

Bayern's season started, in no uncertain terms, terribly. With 10 games of the Bundesliga season played, the Bavarians had won five, lost two and drawn three.

A 5-1 thrashing against Eintracht Frankfurt on November 2 proved to be the end for head coach Niko Kovac, with the relatively unknown Hansi Flick brought in as his replacement.

Flick initially took time to get going, with Bayern winning two and losing two of their next four matches to drop down to seventh in the standings.

Defending their title looked to be out of the question at this point, with Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach instead battling it out at the top.

However, that loss to Gladbach on December 7 was the last time Bayern tasted defeat all season, embarking on an incredible run that saw them easily clinch the title in the end.

In fact, in only one of their last 20 matches did they fail to pick up maximum points - a respectable 0-0 draw with title challengers Leipzig in early February.

An eighth successive German top-flight title was made official with a 1-0 win over Werder Bremen on June 16, with Flick's men eventually finishing 13 points clear at the summit.

Bayern Munich players celebrate Thomas Muller's goal against Barcelona on August 14, 2020© Reuters


DFB-Pokal

Bayern had won the domestic cup a record 19 times ahead of this season and were once again the last team standing this time around.

Die Roten saw off lower-league sides Energie Cottbus and Vfl Bochum in the first two rounds before a thrilling 4-3 win over Hoffenheim in the last 16.

A Joshua Kimmich goal settled a tough quarter-final tie against Schalke 04 and Flick's men then edged Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the semis - Robert Lewandowski netting the winner.

Almost 12 months since starting their domestic cup campaign, Bayern comfortably beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in July's final to wrap up the second part of a possible treble.

Bayern Munich's David Alaba pictured with the DFB-Pokal trophy in July 2020© Reuters


Champions League

Bayern may have been having issues domestically in the first few months of the season, but that was not the case on the continent.

Under the watch of Kovac, Bayern won their first three Champions League group games, including a thumping 7-2 win away at Tottenham Hotspur.

It was very much a sign of things to come, with Flick picking up from where Kovac left off by guiding his side to victory in their remaining three Group B matches.

Indeed, having netted 24 goals and conceded four in their six wins, Bayern set a record for the best ever group stage campaign - talk about laying down a marker!

The knockout stage has proved to be just as easy going for Flick's charges, beginning with a dominant 3-0 win away at Chelsea in their last-16 first leg.

Bayern had to wait more than five months before the return clash at the Allianz Arena, which finished 4-1 in their favour for a 7-1 aggregate triumph.

The condensed competition then moved to Lisbon for the quarter-finals onwards, with Barcelona up next for the German champions.

What followed was a true 'where were you?' moment - Bayern completely ripping their opponents apart in a performance worthy of European champions as they cruised to an 8-2 victory.

Lyon knocked out Juventus and Manchester City to set up a semi-final with Bayern, but the game went the way that many predicted as Die Roten again got the job done with minimal fuss.

Serge Gnabry struck twice following a positive start from Lyon, before Lewandowski continued his hot streak in front of goal to make it 3-0.

PSG now stand in Bayern's path as they look to make 2019-20 the most magical in their history.

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Bayern Munich players celebrate Thomas Muller's goal against Barcelona on August 14, 2020
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