Bayern Munich’s wait for a first Champions League title since 2020 continues after holders Paris Saint-Germain defeated them at the semi-final stage. A 1-1 draw in Munich on Wednesday resulted in a 6-5 aggregate win.
After a breathless 5-4 defeat in the first leg in Paris, which has already been rated as one of the competition’s greatest games, Bayern soon found themselves trailing by two points in the tie. Ousmane Dembele provided the early blow, with the former Borussia Dortmund forward lashing home in the third minute after some smart work from Khvitcha Kvaratskheliya.
Holders PSG showed in the French capital that they are not a team to always hold their ground as both sides continued to move at a fast pace. PSG leftback Nuno Mendes was lucky to escape a second yellow card for handball, angering the German fans at the Allianz Arena and Bayern’s usually unflappable coach Vincent Kompany.
Handball controversy frustrates Bayern
Moments later, the same fans and the same coach were enraged by another handball call, as the ball hit Vitinha’s arm in the box, but the referee took no action and opted to call the video assistant referee (VAR). Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was forced to protest against his own fans to stop them throwing missiles onto the pitch. The warning was heard.
Bayern’s Jamal Musiala came close three times before the break but the German champions took the lead at half-time with still much to do.
But as the minutes of the second half ticked down, Bayern’s frustration became clear with each aborted attack. Although he played in some promising positions himself, Bayern lacked the evidence shown last week and during a record-breaking Bundesliga season, while PSG continued to threaten on the break. Harry Kane got a goal in the final moments but time was almost up, and yet another European campaign for Bayern was over.
Neuer told broadcaster DAZN after the match, “We were not ‘killers’ in attack today. That key moment in the game was simply missing. We were there, but things were not so sharp inside the PSG box. At the moment, disappointment is the biggest emotion for us.”
PSG wants to retain the Champions League, Bayern still has a chance for the double
With the league over, Bayern can win a 13th domestic double with victory over Stuttgart in the German Cup final on May 23. But Kompany and Neuer know that even this is not enough for this special club.
“We deserved to become German champions,” the goalkeeper said: “We are looking forward to the cup final in Berlin. Of course, we are not thinking about it right now, because the disappointment is naturally heavy.”
PSG, on the other hand, will be eyeing a second consecutive Champions League final the weekend after. If they win, they will be the first club to retain the trophy as Real Madrid won it three consecutive times between 2016 and 2018.
The Qatar-owned French side will face English Premier League leaders Arsenal, who defeated Atletico Madrid in the other semi-final on Tuesday, in the final in Budapest on May 30.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery