Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in a thrilling Champions League semi-final, marking one of the most remarkable matches in the tournament's history. Ousmane Dembele scored the decisive goal, sending a strong warning to Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
Key points
Paris Saint-Germain beat Bayern Munich 5-4
Ousmane Dembele scored the decisive goal
The match is one of the most remarkable in Champions League history
PSG's victory sends a warning to Arsenal and Atletico Madrid
Paris Saint-GermainBayern Munich
Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring for Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain's absurd 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich isn't merely one of the most astonishing UEFA Champions League semi-finals; it could well be the finest game the tournament has ever witnessed.
And it served as a stark warning to Arsenal and Atletico Madrid - set to compete in Wednesday's second semi-final - that whichever team advances from that tie will confront a formidable opponent in the Final, as per The Mirror.
Harry Kane's early penalty gave Bayern the lead in Paris -Credit:Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The French capital witnessed some truly spectacular soccer on display; Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Michael Olise commanded the spotlight with breathtaking goals, Harry Kane maintained his remarkable Champions League scoring streak, and there were some genuinely absurd officiating calls.
Luis Enrique's PSG are favorites to book their spot in the Final - but only by a fine margin. Things had actually begun disastrously for the home side as England forward Kane broke the deadlock from the penalty spot following a foul on Luis Diaz by Willian Pacho.
PSG trailed for just seven minutes, though. Kvaratskhelia was given plenty of room down the right, weaved into the Bayern penalty area, and bent a devastating shot low past the reach of Manuel Neuer.
The reigning European champions then flipped the script through Joao Neves as the Portuguese midfielder headed home from Ousmane Dembele's corner.
The spectacle remained electric as Bayern, operating without manager Vincent Kompany, struck back immediately. Olise, mirroring Kvaratskhelia's earlier effort, weaved into the PSG area and unleashed a stunning strike for his 20th goal of what has been an outstanding season.
Drama continued right before the break as the hosts were handed a penalty kick. David Alaba blocked Dembele's delivery with his hand, though it clearly made contact with his thigh before touching his extended arm.
The official was compelled to check the VAR monitor and ultimately pointed to the spot, with Dembele stepping up to convert, capping a frenetic opening 45 minutes.
A 10-minute scoreless stretch after the restart felt like an eternity, but Kvaratskhelia made sure that drought ended emphatically. Achraf Hakimi's driven ball across goal evaded several PSG players but found the Georgian who finished clinically.
The scoreline reached five before the hour when Dembele's low effort off the woodwork gave the veteran Manuel Neuer no opportunity. At that stage, it appeared that despite their impressive offensive efforts, Bayern seemed destined to be overwhelmed beyond recovery.
Those concerns proved premature. Dayot Upamecano swiftly headed home to inject fresh belief into the visitors heading into the final stretch.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates scoring for Paris Saint-Germain
Both Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored braces for the home side -Credit:Mattia Ozbot - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
And they capitalized on that opportunity as Diaz connected with Kane's spectacular through ball and slotted past Matvéi Safónov. A quick VAR review delayed his celebration, but the goal was ultimately awarded.
The Colombian's strike gives Bayern a fighting chance as focus shifts to next week's return game at the Allianz, with PSG aiming to secure their spot in the Final, while Bayern will have a comeback on their minds.
It appears unfortunate that either of these two teams will see their European run concluded at the semi-final stage. Considering the caliber displayed by both sides, there wouldn't be many who would deny them a place in the Final. Regardless, one will exit in a semi-final second leg that has a great deal to live up to.
