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Neymar, pursued by Bayern's David Alaba and Joshua Kimmich
Photo: LUKAS BARTH-TUTTAS / EPA
Joshua Kimmich didn't see him coming.
Bayern's playmaker was about to take a ball in midfield when it was attacked from the blind spot.
Not from an opposing defender, not from a six.
From Neymar.
The star player from Paris chased the ball from Kimmich, matched it to his teammate and sprinted down to offer himself for the one-two.
On the TV screen you can see Kimmich looking in Neymar's direction, but not discovering him.
The Brazilian is already on his way towards the goal.
He's too fast for Kimmich.
Neymar gets the ball back and dribbles towards the penalty area, Kimmich chases him, also David Alaba and Leon Goretzka and Benjamin Pavard, four Munich are on his heels, one in front, Niklas Süle.
Then Neymar strikes.
He shoots from around 20 meters, it seems for a moment, Süle takes a step towards him, he is now close enough to the 29-year-old to block a shot.
But Neymar doesn't shoot.
The backward movement was a deception.
He wanted the attention of the entire Bayern defense, and he got it.
Instead of shooting, Neymar put on the now completely free Kylian Mbappé.
The French striker made it 1-0 for PSG, but that hit didn't actually belong to Mbappé, it belonged to Neymar.
In football, those players who are easily overlooked are often decisive for success.
The six who closes gaps and thus prevents attacks before they become dangerous, or the striker who creates space with his walking paths.
On Wednesday evening, when Bayern lost 3-2 at home to Paris Saint-Germain, things were different.
Eight goals and one assist in the last four Champions League games
The stage belonged to Neymar, the most expensive player in history, who also prepared the second goal against Munich when he chipped the ball with his actually weaker left foot behind the advancing defensive line, exactly in the run of goal scorer Marquinhos.
And it belonged to Mbappé, once again, the striker who followed his last impressive appearance in the Champions League with another.
The 22-year-old scored eight goals and one assist in his last four Champions League appearances.
At 1-0 he was still lucky that Manuel Neuer couldn't keep the hard but unplaced shot.
At 3-2 for PSG, Mbappé did everything right when he fooled Jérôme Boateng and Neuer and didn't shoot into the far corner, but dryly and seamlessly into the short.
Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening is different from the one that lost 1-0 to Bayern in the final of the premier class last August.
Even if it won: Today's PSG are weaker.
It was lucky that the Munich team only put two of their 31 deals in the Pariser Tor.
Defensive boss Thiago Silva is now at Chelsea, the same applies to coach Thomas Tuchel.
In addition, several important players are missing due to suspensions and Corona in Munich.
When central defender Marquinhos had to leave the field injured after half an hour, PSG only had one player in the defense chain who met the highest standards: Presnel Kimpembe.
If you compare the game with the Champions League final last August, it is noticeable how different it turned out.
Back then in Lisbon, both teams met at eye level, there were few clear chances.
This time Bayern were superior for long stretches, Paris seemed to lack the foundation, the stability, it looked like a heavyweight boxer who is covered by blows because his cover is full of holes.
But he didn't fall over.
He was confident that his own punch would be enough.
He had to rely on it, he had little choice.
The punch, that was Neymar and Mbappé.
The duel against Bayern is not over yet, the defending champion is on the mat after this first leg, but he can still get up and win the fight.
The question is how Munich will prevent Neymar and Mbappé from landing hits in the second leg next Tuesday in Paris.
Their strengths are well known, you don't have to decipher them first.
Nevertheless, it cannot be switched off completely.
And because Bayern need at least two goals in Paris, they will have to play offensively.
One can almost imagine the spaces that Neymar and Mbappé will offer themselves in the event of counterattacks.
The Paris season has actually been disappointing so far.
On average, almost every third game is not won, with Paris going into the Ligue 1 season finale in second place, most recently the team lost the top game against Lille 0-1.
Neymar and Mbappé missed out, the Brazilian was even thrown off the field for the second time this season.
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Neymar after the lost premier class final against FC Bayern
Photo: David Ramos / POOL / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
A missed championship would certainly be bearable for the star players and the club if it worked out with the title in the Champions League.
The images of Neymar crying after the lost final and David Alaba comforting him, leaning his forehead against the Neymars, went around the football world.
At that time, Neymar and Mbappé had a chance to win, but forgave.
The Paris team may seem weaker today in comparison. But that probably doesn't matter. As long as Neymar and Mbappé play like they did in Munich, PSG can beat any opponent.