This is exactly the kind of match FIFA would have been expecting to see when they reconfigured the Club World Cup to a 32-team mega tournament, although maybe a little earlier than they might have hoped.
Two of Europe's biggest clubs clash in the quarterfinals as defending UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain take on German champions Bayern Munich on Saturday in Atlanta.
Both teams experienced a surprise defeat in the group stage, but they managed to overwhelm their Round of 16 opponents to emphatically stake their claim to this quarterfinal match. The two European giants each scored four goals last time out, with PSG clobbering former star Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 4-0, and Bayern outlasting Brazilian side Flamengo by a 4-2 score.
Additionally, both clubs could be getting a key playmaker back to a starting role, as Ousmane Dembele and Jamal Musiala could each be in line for their first starts during this revamped competition.
The Sporting News runs through the latest team news and injury updates for both sides as the match draws nearer.
PSG vs. Bayern Munich starting lineups, team news
Star forward Ousmane Dembele has missed the group stage with a thigh injury but returned to action off the bench against Inter Miami. He is apparently not yet ready for a starting role.
Bradley Barcola also missed the club's early games in this tournament but worked his way back to a starting role against Inter Miami. He retains his place with Dembele back, a decision Luis Enrique made in the opposite direction throughout much of the season.
Otherwise, PSG have their full list of regulars available for action, a boon for the reigning Champions League winners who have steamrolled their competition throughout this season. Marquinhos, Fabian Ruiz, and Joao Neves would miss a potential semifinal if they receive a booking in this match.
PSG starting XI (4-3-3, right to left): Donnarumma (GK) — Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes — Neves, Vitinha, F. Ruiz — Doue, Barcola, Kvaratskhelia.
Injured: None.
Suspended: None.
On a yellow: Neves, Ruiz, Marquinhos.
Full PSG squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Lucas Lavallee, Matvei Safonov, Arnau Tenas.
Defenders: Lucas Beraldo, Naoufel El Hannach, Achraf Hakimi, Lucas Hernandez, Noham Kamara, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Yoram Zague.
Midfielders: Lee Kang-in, Senny Mayulu, Gabriel Moscardo, Joao Neves Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Warren Zaire-Emery.
Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ibrahim Mbaye, Goncalo Ramos.
Bayern have Jamal Musiala available after recovering from a long-term knee injury that significantly hampered the club's competitiveness in the UEFA Champions League. He has yet to start, but slots into the XI for the first time today in place of Serge Gnabry, a huge boost for Vincent Kompany.
Kim Min-Jae is training again after a minor injury, but he's no longer a regular starter at center-back after the summer signing of Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen. Canada star Alphonso Davies is not with the squad after tearing his ACL on international duty midway through last season.
Bayern have a number of key players who would be suspended for a potential semifinal if they receive a booking in this match, including Musiala, Tah, and Joshua Kimmich.
Bayern Munich starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Neuer (GK) — Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanisic — Kimmich, Pavlovic — Olise, Musiala, Coman — Kane.
Injured: Davies (ACL).
Suspended: None.
On a yellow: Tah, Laimer, Kimmich, Musiala, Goretzka.
Full Bayern Munich squad
Goalkeepers: Leon Klanac, Manuel Neuer, Daniel Peretz, Jonas Urbig
Defenders: Adam Aznou, Sacha Boey, Eric Dier, Raphael Guerreiro Cassiano Kiala, Kim Min-jae, Josip Stanisic, Jonathan Tah, Dayot Upamecano
Midfielders: Tom Bischof, Leon Goretzka, Lennard Karl, Joshua Kimmich, Maurice Krattenmacher, Konrad Laimer, Jamal Musiala, Joao Palhinha, Aleksandar Pavlovic, David Santos
Forwards: Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Harry Kane, Jonah Kusi-Asare, Wisdon Mike, Thomas Muller, Michael Olise, Gabriel Vidovic.
PSG vs. Bayern Munich score prediction
This match could heavily depend on which of Ousmane Dembele or Jamal Musiala is able to play the most minutes. Musiala especially could turn the tide for Bayern Munich, as his absence was a massive detractor to the German club in Europe this past season.
Still, PSG are the best team in the world at the moment, and their capabilities on both sides of the ball are unmatched. They possess the best full-back duo of any club around the globe, which goes a long way in matches with thin margins. They should manage to advance, but the match will be a thriller.
Prediction: PSG 2-1 Bayern Munich
How to watch PSG vs. Bayern Munich: Live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this Club World Cup quarterfinal across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| Date | Time | TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | Sat, Jul. 5 | 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT | TNT | Sling, DAZN |
| Canada | Sat, Jul. 5 | 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT | — | DAZN |
| UK | Sat, Jul. 5 | 5 p.m. BST | Channel 5 | DAZN |
| Australia | Sun, Jul. 6 | 4 a.m. AEST | — | DAZN, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Now |
| India | Sat, Jul. 5 | 9:30 p.m. IST | — | DAZN, FanCode, tabii |