Champions League review: Cunning Kane, PSG click into form and a bloodied pundit

**Going through**

**Bayern Munich**’s thrilling 4-3 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday, which gave them a 6-4 victory on aggregate and set up a semi-final meeting with PSG, was a stone-cold classic. If either of the semis is as good as Real and Bayern’s quarter-final, this season will have been blessed. Arda Güler showed off his brilliance on Wednesday, first with his presence of mind after Manuel Neuer’s mistake led to the opening goal and again from a free-kick in the 29th minute. Güler’s goals gave Madrid hope, but Harry Kane made another difficult finish look routine before Luis Díaz and Michael Olise’s late goals settled the tie. Bayern’s wing wizards were crucial in defeating the 15-time champions. This game had it all. That includes controversy, with a post-match scuffle set off by Madrid players enraged by Eduardo Camavinga’s dismissal for two quickfire yellow cards. Neuer, the hero of the first leg, had his blushes saved by his Bayern teammates, though one save from Kylian Mbappé was him at his best, combining reflexes with brute strength. Fine margins decided a battle of the giants. Ousmane Dembélé has not quite hit the heights of last season but may be finding form at the right time. **PSG**’s leading man reflects a team finally where they wanted to be for so long: they are European champions and have a Ballon D’Or winner at his peak. If Liverpool gave their all at Anfield, it was not nearly good enough; Luis Enrique’s team eventually picked off Arne Slot’s on Tuesday thanks to two late Dembélé goals. Then again, the damage had been done in Paris in the first leg, and much of that damage was to Slot’s credibility as Liverpool manager. There has been ill fortune – Hugo Ekitike’s snapped achilles – though much of Liverpool’s fanbase have made their minds up. “The failure is big,” said Ryan Gravenberch, unhelpfully for his manager. PSG are making manful efforts to keep hold of Enrique, the manager who achieved the club’s dreams. He fully enjoyed his latest return to Anfield, having once stood on the Kop after being passed tickets by Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League winner Luis García. Related: A summer of change in the elite coaching ranks fast approaches, with vacancies likely at Real Madrid and a host of Premier League clubs. Diego Simeone, linked with Inter in recent months, is likely to confirm he will stay at **Atlético Madrid**. “There will be Simeone for a while,” declared AS, the Spanish newspaper, last month. One reason for “Cholo” staying is Inter not being able to afford him, though another is the revival of Atléti, who completed the job on Barcelona. Tuesday’s game was another advert for La Liga, but not for the discipline or defending of Barcelona. They had gotten themselves level, with Lamine Yamal skillfully defying physics , only for Eric García to be sent off for a last-man foul on Alexander Sørloth. By then, Ademola Lookman’s goal already had Atléti back in the lead. This is the fourth semi-final for Simeone, three of which have come at Barcelona’s expense. “We’ve faced Messi’s Barça, Lamine Yamal’s Barça, and we’ve done it,” Simeone said. “The players have changed, we’ve started again so many times, and once again we’re among the four best teams in Europe.” Inter may one day tempt him, as may the Argentina job but Simeone’s maverick leadership continues with Atléti for the foreseeable future.