Poch’s PSG edge out the champions
HANSI FLICK revealed his love of puzzles in the build-up to this second leg but in the end he was one move away from solving this one, as his Bayern Munich side won on the night but crashed out to Paris Saint-Germain.
Many could not wait for the second instalment of this match-up, hopeful the sequel would go one better than last week’s five-goal thriller in Munich.
Flick saw it as a test of his problem-solving skills to see the Champions League holders go against history in overturning a 3-2 deficit. It was improbable, rather than impossible, history said.
On paper it looked as if too many pieces were missing to put it all together. Still no Robert Lewandowski or Serge Gnabry. Defender Niklas Sule missed out and Leon Goretzka travelled but never made the matchday squad.
When Neymar hit the bar and a post in a matter of minutes before the half-time break, Flick would have been right to ask if this was a puzzle too difficult for him to solve.
Neymar had the freedom of the Parc des Princes for much of this match and yet he somehow hit every part of the goal that wasn’t the net. He even had a Paul Gascoigne at Euro 96 moment when, from two yards out, he could not quite meet Angel Di Maria’s cross.
PSG were dominant early on, roles reversed from a first leg in which Bayern mustered 31 chances to score just twice.
But this time it was the Parisians who were left to rue chances missed. Just 60 seconds after Neymar had rattled a post, they paid the price.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who had been something of a ghost for the first 39 minutes, reacted quickest to nod in from a yard out after Keylor Navas had parried David Alaba’s strike into the air.
It was a gift for the ex-PSG striker and goals in both legs mean he now has more goals against the French side in two games in the Champions League than he managed for them in 10. Kylian Mbappe threatened on the counter late on, having one ruled out for offside and thwarted on another, but it did not matter for Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG.