Despite a 1-1 draw away at Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain have secured their place in the Champions League final. The European champions will defend their title against Arsenal on 30 May.
Paris Saint-Germain have done it! The capital club have qualified for their second consecutive Champions League final by knocking out Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening. Following their victory in the first leg (5-4), a draw (1-1) was enough for the Parisians to secure their place at the Puskás Arena in Budapest.
Dembélé strikes early!
In the electric atmosphere of the Allianz Arena, the Parisians got their match off to a flying start by opening the scoring after less than three minutes. From a swift counter-attack, Dembélé latched onto a cut-back from Kvaratskhelia to slot a left-footed shot under Neuer’s crossbar (0-1, 3’)! After that, PSG continued to look strong, even though Bayern threatened on two occasions. Luis Díaz and then Olise tried their luck, but their shots flew just over Safonov’s crossbar.
Tensions then rose a notch on the pitch. Already frustrated by an unpunished handball by Nuno Mendes – who was already on a yellow card – the Bavarians again protested a handball by Joao Neves in the Parisian penalty area following a clearance by Vitinha, which was also ignored by the referee. PSG capitalised on their opponents’ nerves and nearly doubled their lead, but Neuer made a commanding save to deny Joao Neves’s cross-goal header. It was Bayern, however, who finished the first half stronger, notably with a shot from Musiala saved by Safonov.
Bayern equalise too late
The complexion of the match changed in the second half. Physically drained, the Parisians retreated into their own half to withstand the Bavarian waves that kept coming back in front of the PSG box. Safonov did his side a great service by parrying attempts from Luis Diaz and Olise. At the other end, Neuer remained alert to Parisian counter-attacks, stopping two attempts from Doué and a shot from Barcola. Late in the game, Bayern pushed forward and equalised through a goal from Kane (1-1, 90+4). But the Rekordmeister came back too late. Paris will face Arsenal in Budapest on 30 May!
Match rating: 7/10
A much less spectacular match than the first leg, but still very lively. In the first half, both teams played at a very high tempo and tried to hurt their opponents with every attack. In the second half, fatigue took its toll on the Parisians, who adopted a more defensive approach. Bayern tried to liven up the closing stages but managed to break the deadlock too late to really reignite the suspense.
Bayern v PSG: another match for the history books?
A week after a first leg that has already gone down in history, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich meet again on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena with a single goal in mind: to attack once more. Between two teams that refuse to play it safe, the semi-final second leg promises another all-out clash.
The 5-4 result at the Parc des Princes left a rare mark. Nine goals in a Champions League semi-final – unheard of at this stage for 66 years – coaches won over, players still reeling, and observers convinced they had witnessed one of the greatest matches in the competition’s history.
By comparison, the other semi-final between Arsenal and Atlético Madrid felt like a different sport altogether. Tighter, rougher, more calculated. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern, on the other hand, offered the exact opposite: attacking football, full of risks and duels, almost irrational. And there is nothing to suggest the second leg will be any more restrained.
Two unstoppable forces
The first half confirmed what was already clear: these two teams simply don’t know how to play any other way. PSG have scored at least five goals on four occasions in this European campaign, equalling Liverpool’s record from 2017–2018. Across all competitions, the reigning European champions have already scored 121 goals this season. Opposite them, Bayern have gone one better with 174 goals, driven by a historic trio of Kane, Olise and Luis Diaz, all of whom have been involved in more than ten Champions League goals.
The context points in the same direction. Luis Enrique refuses to defend the 5-4 first-leg result and insists that Paris will travel to Munich to win. Vincent Kompany, for his part, has no reason to sit back at home when his team need to score. Bayern are even on a wild run, with a 4-3 win against Real Madrid, a 4-2 win against Stuttgart, a 4-3 win at Mainz, a 4-5 win in Paris and then a 3-3 draw against Heidenheim. Defensively, everything seems fragile. Offensively, everything could explode, even more so against the ‘final boss’.
The spectacle as the final argument
That is also why this fixture made such an impression. Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Cesc Fàbregas, Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Pierre Sage, Antoine Kombouaré, Habib Beye and even Mikel Arteta all hailed it as an extraordinary match – a rare showcase for a game sometimes accused of becoming too cautious. Luis Enrique himself did not seek to downplay the event, describing it as a unique match, almost impossible to analyse given the frantic pace at which the action unfolded.
One simple question now remains. Can we have two miracles in a row? PSG have a one-goal lead, Bayern have their home crowd, and both teams have a philosophy that leaves little room for calculation. Whoever emerges from this clash will join Arsenal in the final, but with a different aura. The Gunners can win coolly. Paris or Munich can sweep everyone along with them. After the 5-4 at the Parc, the return leg at the Allianz no longer feels merely like a semi-final. It already looks like a promise of chaos.
