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Kingsley Coman refrains from celebrating against his ex-club PSG
Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP
FC Bayern can hope for a long season in the Champions League.
In the round of 16 first leg, FC Bayern won 1-0 (0-0) at Paris Saint-Germain.
Kingsley Coman scored the winning goal for Munich's success in the 53rd minute.
Coman's goals against his training club PSG - which disappointed that evening until Kylian Mbappé came on - are slowly becoming the norm.
He had already scored Munich's winning goal against Paris in the 2020 Champions League final.
Thanks to the French winger's goal, Munich now have an advantage in the fight for a place in the quarter-finals.
The second leg between FC Bayern and PSG will take place in Munich on March 8th.
PSG went into the game without the ailing Mbappé, Bayern started somewhat surprisingly without Thomas Müller.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann wanted Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to be a real striker on the field, and it was the attacker who fired the first shot next to the PSG goal after less than 30 seconds.
In the aftermath, Munich were also the more active team against the deep-lying Parisians, who tried to create danger primarily by counterattacking, but were more concerned with security after the recent disappointing results.
There were initially no major chances on either side.
The Bayern players mostly lacked presence in the penalty area with their numerous crosses, an exception was a Choupo-Moting header after a cross from Kingsley Coman to the right of the goal (31st). After that, only a shot by Joshua Kimmich just before the half-time whistle still caused it for excitement (44th).
PSG was much more harmless.
Without Mbappé's pace, the team only slowly groped their way towards superstars Neymar and Lionel Messi - and did not pose any danger.
Bayern keeper Yann Sommer was almost unemployed in the first half.
In the second half, PSG looked bolder and then Coman scored from a cross from substitute Alphonso Davies to put Munich ahead.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma looked unhappy with the unplaced shot (53').
Shortly afterwards, Mbappé came into play, but Bayern remained dangerous: In the 62nd minute, Choupo-Moting hit the post after a strong reaction from Donnarumma.
PSG's best chance came in the 73rd minute - and Mbappé had it.
The Frenchman ran towards Sommer alone, but failed from just a few meters and from an acute angle at the Munich goalkeeper.
In the follow-up, the ball was in the Bayern goal, but Mbappé was offside.
In the 82nd minute, Mbappé scored again – but in the process of creating assist Nuno Mendes was just offside.
PSG then continued to increase the pressure.
Now the Munich leadership was happy.
In added time, Bayern defender Benjamin Pavard was sent off with yellow-red after a tackle on Lionel Messi.
Things will continue to get exciting for FC Bayern over the next few weeks: the Bundesliga duel at Borussia Mönchengladbach awaits at the weekend, after which the record champions will welcome their closest pursuers, Union Berlin.
Jan