They used their shield after one early swoosh of the sword, a reminder that Paris Saint-Germain can defend and deny as well as dazzle and destroy. It was a performance of maturity, a performance of European champions, last season’s and most likely this.
For only the second time this campaign, Bayern Munich were restricted to just one goal at the Allianz Arena. That was because Luis Enrique’s brilliant visitors did not allow them any more, and only in the last minute of injury-time did Harry Kane fire a belated reply when two were needed to force extra-time. It was not a lifeline, really, more a distant echo of the pulse that had throbbed so furiously during the first leg. This was entertaining, but never likely to live up to the wonderful absurdity of that 5-4 riot.
But to be beaten by this PSG team is no source of shame, Bayern should take pride from their part in two absorbing ties. In the end, though, we had the worthy victors. Arsenal, who await in the final, will need to catch the Parisians on an off day. Good luck waiting for one of those to come around.
Here, PSG were most definitely on. They scored in the third minute through Ousmane Dembele and, after the spectacle of last week, here we had take-off, another match from another world. Or so we thought. Rather, PSG absorbed Bayern’s response, spirited and not without quality, but the hosts could not find a way through until it was too late. Far too late. PSG’s midfield of Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves were too smart, their defence too strong. Kane did not have a shot on target until his goal. The two he dispatched earlier were blocked before they had travelled barely a yard.
This stadium was the scene of PSG’s greatest night last May, a 5-0 demolition of Inter as they lifted their first Champions League trophy. That felt like the start of a new era of domination. This was a very different display, but that feeling of superiority remained.
Captain Marquinhos, the leader of the unit who shackled Bayern’s frontline, said: ‘Tonight we showed that we also know how to defend, how to battle like crazy!’
Holders PSG overcame Bayern Munich to set up a Champions League final against Arsenal
Ousmane Dembele scored inside three minutes to give PSG a two goal cushion in the tie
PSG proved they can defend as they restricted Bayern Munich from goalscoring chances
Harry Kane pulled one back for Bayern in stoppage time but it proved too late for the hosts
It is disrespectful to Arsenal, and they will take motivation from the notion, but this felt like the de facto final. This was the match, the sequel, for which we had waited eight days too many. To be here in Bavaria this week has been to feel that child-like anticipation in the days before a birthday. That is what the first leg in Paris did to us all when it unfolded in a blur of brilliance.
And yet, in the final 20 minutes at the Parc des Princes, after the last of the nine goals were scored, there was not the drama of what had gone before. It was, in reality, approaching half-time, the gladiators were lowering their blades. They came out swinging when the cage doors opened here, and PSG needed just 144 seconds to land the blow that would prove fatal for Bayern.
The thunderclaps which began crackling at tea-time had served as nature’s countdown to kick off. The downpour with it slickened and quickened the playing surface, and on that did PSG cut through Bayern with an unforgiving pace and precision. Dembele applied the finish, first time into the roof of the net, but the goal belonged as much to its creators, Fabian Ruiz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. They swapped passes on halfway, Ruiz’s ball to free his team-mate measured to perfection. The same could not be said of Vincent Kompany’s oversized lounge pants. The Bayern head coach’s outfit was loud but it did not scream latter stages Champions League – Kvaratskhelia’s run and cross and Dembele’s ruthless finish did.
Come half-time, Bayern had worked a handful of chances but the final execution was lacking. Perhaps that was because none of them fell to Kane. The Germans thought they should have had a penalty when Vitinha’s clearance struck the arm of Joao Neves, but the rules were applied correctly – playing the ball against a team-mate’s hand in such a circumstance is not a penalty. The home masses, their angry faces a colour match for their jerseys, clearly did not have a rulebook to hand. They were soon throwing beer at Dembele as he attempted to take a corner. A lighter, handed to the referee, also formed part of the missile strike.
In truth, Bayern’s hopes were already up in smoke. On the night, PSG were just too good. You suspect we’ll be saying the same in Budapest.
