Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League campaign came to a grinding halt in the first leg of their round of 16 ties against Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
The German champions secured a slender 1-0 victory courtesy of a first-half goal from former PSG winger Kingsley Coman, which puts them in a strong position ahead of the return leg in Munich.
Coman’s goal of the night was a reminder of his heroics in the 2019 Champions League final when he scored the winner for Bayern as they beat PSG in the deciding game in Lisbon.
The Parisians put up a spirited fight in the first half, but the Bavarians proved too strong for Thomas Tuchel’s side as they dominated most of the match. The French champions could not cope with the pace of Bayern’s attacks, and the German side secured the win with a well-taken goal from Coman.
The second half saw PSG throw everything they had at Bayern, with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi on the pitch. However, they could not find a way past the stubborn defense of the German champions.
Christophe Galtier’s side now faces the daunting prospect of a second elimination in a row in the last 16 on March 8 in Munich. While Mbappe’s high-octane display as a second-half substitute will have given his side hope, it will be a huge challenge for them to overturn the deficit in the second leg.
The 16-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery became the youngest player to start a Champions League knockout game, and the youngster put in a solid display in the right wing of a 4-4-2 formation.
The PSG fans will take some comfort from the fact that their attack is still one of the most feared in Europe, and with the return of Messi and Verratti, they will be hoping to cause an upset in the second leg. Bayern’s victory was a huge boost, and they will be confident going to the quarter-finals.
The German champions have been in superb form since the turn of the year, and they will be looking to maintain their momentum in the second leg.
The return leg in Munich is sure to be an exciting affair, and it will be intriguing to see if PSG can pull off a comeback or if Bayern can hold on to their slim advantage and progress to the quarter-finals.