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Despite the best chances - FC Bayern is losing in the Champions League for the first time since March 2019
Photo: Sven Hoppe / dpa
... and they have
Neymar
:
The Brazilian Neymar unites German football fans in passionate dislike.
He makes too much of every scene, rolls too often on the floor, is generally overrated.
Well.
Against Bayern, he first initiated the 1-0 with a brisk start including a precise pass to Kylian Mbappé (3rd minute), then he hit a pass before the 2-0 by Marquinhos, which in every phase of the flight from the half-field The word "world class" radiated away from the defense (28th).
His goal participation 67 and 68 in the 66th Champions League game of his career.
The result:
FC Bayern Munich lost the first leg in the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2: 3 (1: 2) against Paris Saint-Germain.
Click here for the match report.
The first half:
In addition to the two goals from PSG, Bayern showed a lot, a lot.
After many conquests of the ball and fast, good passes to the top, there were numerous top-class chances, among others by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (2nd), Thomas Müller (10th) and Leon Goretzka (19th).
12: 2 shots on goal were to be counted after 36 minutes, the 13th sat: Choupo-Moting hit with a head to 1: 2 (37th).
While he was still cheering, his colleague Müller pushed him back towards the goal net: "Get the ball out, keep going!" Bayern were still up to something.
If it comes, then do it right:
After Bayern coach Hansi Flick lost the two offensive forces Robert Lewandowski (injured) and Serge Gnabry (Covid-19) before the game, he also had to replace Leon Goretzka and Niklas Süle in the first half .
The second half:
First, the guests had a double chance through Neymar and Mbappé (52nd), then David Alaba and Benjamin Pavard (53rd each) gave away on the other side.
The equalizer for further depressing Munich was a header from Müller (60th), before Mbappé brought PSG back into the lead (68th).
Less than 60 seconds later, Choupo-Moting had the 3: 3 on their feet.
Alaba (86th) and again Müller (87th) missed the last opportunities of the hosts, who lost a competitive game at home for the first time since November 2019, in the Champions League that was last against Liverpool in early 2019.
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Kylian Mbappé has 27 goals and 17 assists after 43 games in the Champions League
Photo: Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images
... and they have Mbappé:
"We have incredible speed up front, we wanted to take advantage of that," said PSG player Julian Draxler after the game.
He wasn't just referring to Neymar, but Mbappé as well.
With his first goal he received kind help from Manuel Neuer, who let the ball slipped through in the middle, with the second he wiggled substitute Jérôme Boateng and then finished sharply in the near corner - this time Neuer was powerless.
Overcoming trauma:
Last season, Mauricio Pochettino and his former club Tottenham Hotspur suffered a huge 7-2 home defeat against Munich.
It was a result that could not be repaired, he had to leave the Spurs shortly afterwards.
When they met again, like colleague Flick, he had to do without important staff, the result gives him hope that in 2021 he will achieve what he achieved with Tottenham in 2019: reaching the Champions League final.
Open wings:
As strong as PSG are in the front, they are weak in the full-back positions.
In Munich, the ex-Dortmunders Abdou Diallo, Colin Dagba and Mitchel Bakker tried each other more badly than right.
While Kingsley Coman kept coming back to the baseline, Leroy Sané had more shady than bright moments.
If Bayern want to go further, they have to take advantage of this weakness more mercilessly in the PSG game.
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Powerless in the snow: coach Hansi Flick in the forced replacement of Leon Goretzka
Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH / REUTERS
The season at a crossroads:
The tiresome national coaching discussion and the departure of Boateng, confirmed by sports director Hassan Salihamidzic, are losing momentum in view of the impending departure from the Champions League.
The cup defeat in Kiel was dismissed as a forgivable result hiccups, a quarter-final knockout.
in the premier class would be a mood killer and would let the season go down in Bayern history as an unsuccessful one, despite the almost certain championship.
Flick's first Champions League defeat could be a decisive one.
And now?
In the second leg in Paris next Tuesday (9 p.m., live ticker: SPIEGEL.de), FC Bayern needs several goals of its own and, if possible, no goals against. The former seems likely after the 63rd competitive game in a row in which FCB scored. The second, after 50 (!) Goals against in 42 competitive games this season, is almost equally unlikely, the failures of Süle and Goretzka do not make the task any easier. The goal of becoming the first team since Real Madrid to defend the title is now a long way off.