Qian Maleppé insisted on Paris Saint-Germain after winning 3–2 in a thrilling bout at Leigh Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-finals. Bayern repeated their 19-match unbeaten run in the Champions League in last year’s final, as the German giants suffered their first European defeat by March 2019. PSG raced behind closed doors with a 2–0 lead after just 28 minutes. Allianz Arena as Neymar scored goals for Mbappe and Marquinhos.
Bayern, whose top scorer Robert Lewandowski is sidelined with a knee injury, draws courtesy of headers by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Thomas Mueller.
However, Mbappe showed his class with a brilliant second goal, giving the visitors an advantage to return to Paris.
“We used to have all our opportunities and there was a bit of luck, but nothing has been decided,” Mbappe told Sky, the second leg to arrive in Paris on Tuesday.
PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navis played a key role with a string of saves as Bayern completed their target with 31 shots, compared to six from the French club.
“We have to score a lot more goals,” Muller said. “If it had ended for us at 5-3 or 6-3, no one could complain on the basis of probability.”
Bayern coach Hans Flick, who finished as the first-ever losing player in the Champions League, also captured the number of missed opportunities.
“The opportunities we had, we could have got a good result despite scoring three goals,” Flick said.
“We don’t like to lose, but the way the team played was top.”
It was a record 19th appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals for Bayern, but there was little to convince him at the final whistle.
PSG coach Maurico Pochettino said, “Qian Mabappé made the difference. It’s a very positive result for us, but everything is still open.”
Marquinhos score and limb off
The Kovid-19 cast their shadow on both teams with Bayern winger Serge Gnabry, plus PSG duo Alessandro Florenzi and Marco Veratti.
Heavy snow fell in Munich in the first half as the visitors put heat on the holders.
The opening goal came after Neymar hit a hole in the defense and threw the ball for Mbappe, whose shot flew into the net through Manuel Neer’s feet.
PSG forward Julian Drexler denied a goal with Mbappe in the build-up as the visitors kept up the pressure.
Bayern midfielder Leon Gortzka put a header in Navis’ feet just before the hosts scored two goals.
A clearance kick only came in the form of Neymar, whose over the top ball Markinhaus unmarked his shot into the area to stroke Neuter before the PSG captain was injured.
Flick responded by bringing in Alfonso Davis to provide momentum on the Flanks and move David Alaba into the defensive midfield.
The hosts pulled back a goal when Mueller’s cross was ahead of Navas by four-motting, making it 2-1 at half-time.
Neymar was denied by Nair and attempted to remove Angel Di Maria from the line, while Leroy Sane passed for Bayern at the other end as both teams had their chances after the break.
Bayern equalized when Mueller hit the brilliant Joshua Kimich with a free-kick in the hour.
Promoted
However, it was Mbappé on a cold night in Munich, who showed his class by turning Bayern defender Jerome Boateng in and out, before driving his shot past a neuter 22 minutes left.
Bayern went down fighting as Alba and Müller both fired at the dying feet.
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