Where does football go as it moves on from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?
Full Results (Semi Finals 1st leg)
- PSG 5—4 Bayern
- Atletico Madrid 1—1 Arsenal
Game of the Matchday
And breathe! Where to start on this one? 5-4. That is not the aggregate score. That is the first leg score of a Champions League semi-final. This was a nine-goal thriller that officially became the highest-scoring semi-final match in Champions League history. 9 goals, 7 goalscorers and millions of fans entertained. Bayern drew first blood through a Harry Kane penalty, but the holders responded with two goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Joao Neves. Michael Olise equalised not long after, however PSG scored again through an Ousmane Dembele penalty to lead 3–2 at the half. The second half did not stagnate, both teams picked up where they left off as Kvaratskhelia and Dembele both scored again in a 2 minute blitz to make it 5–2, and for a second, it looked like Bayern were dead. But the Bavarians refused to fold, clawing back through Dayot Upamecano and Luis Diaz in a 3 minute blitz of their own to turn a potential blowout into a one-goal game. With 22 total shots and 9 goals coming from just 13 shots on target, the clinical quality was world-class, evidenced by PSG scoring 5 goals from 5 shots on target despite generating just 1.90 xG — a match so chaotic that Luis Enrique said "We deserved to win, we deserved to draw and we deserved to lose today."
Biggest Surprise
When was the last time you saw 9 goals in a Champions League semi-final? Let me answer that for you, never, because it has never happened. Teams often tend to get more and more pragmatic as they progress through the stages, so tight, cagey matches are not unexpected. What is unexpected is getting 9 goals in any game, let alone in a game of this magnitude and stakes. If those Madrid-Bayern matches were a breath of fresh air, then this PSG-Bayern game have somehow done the impossible and turned it up a notch. It is still hard to process what both attacks did on that pitch.
Best Team Performance
While PSG took the win, Bayern’s ability to stay alive after being buried at 5–2 was the most impressive collective display of the week. Most teams would have completely crumbled there and might have even ended up conceding six or seven under that kind of Parc des Princes pressure, but Vincent Kompany’s side showed incredible resilience to turn a humiliation into just a 'slight' disadvantage for themselves. They exploited PSG’s exhaustion perfectly, with Dayot Upamecano and Luis Diaz scoring within three minutes of each other to dampen the home crowd. They head to the Allianz Arena with perhaps more momentum, even though they lost the match. Those two goals made sure that while Bayern may still be down but they are not out.
Player of the Matchday
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG)
In truth, any one guy of both teams' front three were very much deserving of this honour but 'Kvaradona' is on absolute fire, especially in the big stage — the Champions League. He tormented Josip Stanisic all night, scoring two world-class goals, the first a trademark solo effort where he cut inside to curl it home and the second a clinical near-post finish to make it 4–2. His sheer work rate was the only reason PSG managed to stay ahead during Bayern's relentless comeback. PSG's defence starts from the front and he is a vital part of that as was witnessed in this match. The pressing, the tracking back, the important goals all made him the standout.
Honorable mentions - David Raya (Arsenal), Michael Olise (Bayern) & Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
Moment of the Matchday
Luis Diaz's wonder goal against PSG
If you wanted one moment to sum up the technical quality of this tie, it was Luis Diaz’s strike to make it 5–4. Just as PSG thought they had the game buried, Harry Kane dropped deep and unleashed a sublime long ball to find Diaz in stride. The Colombian showed elite technical prowess, taking the ball down perfectly before faking a shot which helped him in shifting the ball to his right to eventually take the shot with a clear sight of goal. This goal that wasn't a 'consolation' but a reminder to the Ballon d'Or winners, the young sensations, the veteran finishers, and to the dizzying dribblers that he belongs on the same level while also helping his team gather needed momentum.
Late-Night Thoughts
Phew! Such absurd was the game between PSG and Bayern that the entire recap ended up being solely about that game unexpectedly. Atleti and Arsenal was also engaging in its own way as Atleti had the upper hand in the tie but could not capitalise properly due to poor finishing from their attackers. Now the advantage has gone over to the North Londoners as they will be expected to deal with Diego Simeone on their home turf.
Looking Ahead – Semi Final 2nd leg Fixtures (IST Kick-offs)
Wednesday, 06 May
- Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid — 12:30 am
Thursday, 07 May
- PSG vs Bayern — 12:30 am
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