Five Observations from Bayern Munich’s absurd 5-4 loss to Paris Saint-Germain

TL;DR

Bayern Munich suffered a shocking 5-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League semi-final. Key mistakes and missed opportunities defined Bayern's performance, raising questions about their execution and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's future.

Key points

Bayern Munich lost 5-4 to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final.
Key mistakes included poor defending and missed scoring opportunities.
Manuel Neuer's performance raised concerns about his future.
Luis Díaz and Michael Olise were standout players for PSG.
Bayern may consider changing goalkeepers for the second leg.

Bayern MunichParis Saint-Germain

PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 28: A general view inside the stadium as the players and match officials line up prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern München at Parc des Princes on April 28, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Maja Hitij - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images) | UEFA via Getty Images

When your worst enemy is yourself

Bayern Munich had this game set up perfectly. The game plan was set. The penalty early in the first half should have had a cascading effect, wherein Paris Saint-Germain would have to chase the game in front of their home crowd. How do you let that chance slip? On a micro level, there are individual performances to blame. Josip Stanišić got badly beaten by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the first goal. Poor corner defending cost the team on the second goal. The third was a combination of two factors — a failure to clear the ball after a corner, and Alphonso Davies making a split-second mistake. Then there was the second half, where the team got sliced open trying to chase the game. PSG had chances they didn’t take. Ousmane Dembélé missed a 1v1 with . hit the post. Other chances came and went. But they pale in comparison to the number of times Bayern Munich got inside the PSG half, then failed to even register a shot on goal. These numbers won’t reflect in the xG statistics, but FC Bayern created an extraordinary number of attacking sequences vs the Parisians. into who failed to beat the keeper; Olise hitting the post; free inside the box and deciding not to shoot — the list goes on. The problem is, none of them resulted in goals. Therefore, in general, you can say that the tactical gameplan envisioned by Vincent Kompany worked. By the end of the game, it was Bayern who were gunning for the equalizer, with Paris wasting time and defending in their own box. So on a macro level, Bayern’s problem was execution. The plan should have carried the team to victory, but the players didn’t execute on the level they needed to. Individual errors at the back compounded by timid shooting up front created a lethal cocktail that downed the Bavarians despite a valiant effort. This is not the time for self-congratulatory platitudes. The team should look at themselves and the game they just played, and consider the opportunities they missed. The mistakes made. The chances not taken. Only they can fix this now. It is in their hands.