Valentinstag in Paris, that was the reason for the sports newspaper “L’Equipe” to change a common motto a bit. It wasn’t “Say it with flowers,” it said on Tuesday’s front page, but “Say it with goals,” all framed by a bouquet of red and blue roses and faces that promised great feelings: Lionel Messi and Neymar on the one side, Joshua Kimmich and Dayot Upamecano on the other.
In the evening, only one person took the motto by its word – and that was someone who had already caused heartbreak in Paris, Kingsley Coman, with the winning goal in the 2020 final. The Frenchman gave FC Bayern a goal from the 53rd minute Result according to his taste in this round of 16 first leg of the Champions League.
The 1-0 was a deserved result, but also one that Munich suddenly had to worry about after Paris Saint-Germain put on a lot of steam with substitute Kylian Mbappé. The ball was in the Munich net twice, Mbappé had put it in twice, but both times it was offside.
Nagelsmann’s lucky hand
Because the Bavarian bulwark held in the end, there are good, albeit not all-round reassuring prospects for the second leg in three weeks, on March 8 in Munich (9 p.m., in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on DAZN), if the last two weeks Mbappé, who is pausing due to a muscle injury, will be fully recovered.
For the time being, however, one can say: the hopes for harmonious experiences, which the Bavarians associated with the trip to the city of love, have been fulfilled. You could also say it quite unromantically: For the people of Munich, the real seriousness of football life began on Tuesday, that phase of the season in which it is decided whether it will rain red roses at the end or, in the worst case, scorn and ridicule.
And under the current circumstances, it was certainly confidence-building that coach Julian Nagelsmann played his part in the success with a happy change of handle at the break and other precise coaching. At the end of a hearty affair in the Prinzenpark, where scoundrels and rascals had more room than esprit and elegance, Benjamin Pavard saw the yellow-red card, he will miss his team in the second leg.
The big question ahead of Tuesday night’s kick-off was whether Mbappé would really be there. It wasn’t enough for the starting eleven, but at least for a place on the bench. On the Bayern side there were Serge Gnabry and, somewhat surprisingly, Thomas Müller, whose preferred positions were occupied by Jamal Musiala and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Bayern find no gap
In possession, Bayern used a 3-1-5-1 system with Joshua Kimmich as the central man in front of the back three and in front of him João Cancelo, Leroy Sané, Musiala, Leon Goretzka, Coman. That looked like a lot of power to the front.
But although Bayern controlled the game and pace, they struggled to find gaps. Except for a few starts from Coman on the left, not much happened towards the goal at first.
But that was even more true for the other side, Paris was lurking to catch Bayern on the wrong foot, but they didn’t do them the favor. Overall, the PSG offensive with the two leaders Neymar and Messi was almost no room.
Warren Zaïre-Emery, at 16 years and 343 days, the youngest player ever to start a Champions League knockout match, also failed to surprise. Both sides had another chance just before the break. But a shot from Kimmich from the center was just as little a real threat to goalkeeper Donnarumma as Messi’s free-kick from a similar position.
Donnarumma misses, Coman scores
Goalkeeper Yann Sommer experienced the first half practically unemployed. Cheers erupted at the break as Mbappé went onto the pitch to warm up. The change was different at first, however, Kimpembe came on for Hakimi and at Bayern Davies for Cancelo, Coman went to the right side, the new man took over the left.
It turned out to be a winning mix, Davies’ cut cross met Coman’s path perfectly and the fact that Donnarumma made an unfortunate impression when he took the ball directly didn’t have to worry Bayern.
Now it was time for Mbappé, but first Bayern approached the second goal, twice Choupo-Moting with foot, once Pavard with head, now Donnarumma showed all his skills. PSG reared up with Mbappé.
When he went in the direction of the goal in the 72nd minute, the equalizer was close, but an imperfect touch by Mbappé and a brilliant act by Sommer prevented the goal, when Mbappé then put the ball in the goal, he was in Offside.
It got even tighter later when his goal was only conceded after the intervention of the video referee because the assist provider had been a step too far forward. Because that wasn’t Paris’ last chance either, Bayern left the pitch happy, but also warned: a completely different game is coming.
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