Bayern are the kings of Europe

Header is enough to seal glory for Bayern

KINGSLEY Coman was the player that, for all their wealth, Paris Saint-Germain could not keep.

Fearing for his pathway as the club recruited increasingly stellar talents, he ran down his contract, and left. Last night that decision came back to haunt them in the worst way imaginable.

It was Coman who denied his former club their first Champions League trophy, Coman who murdered that dream for another year, who outshone Neymar and Kylian Mbappe with the sweetest, simplest of headers.

Coman found the net for Bayern Munich. And that was all it took.

This was not the all-action thriller many had imagined. It was a decent game, but hardly the finest exhibit of the art of goalscoring. Robert Lewandowski missed a few, Mbappe was tame, Neymar was a creative force but did nothing to define the match or his status as the world’s most expensive footballer. Coman, by contrast, had one chance, took it, and delivered Munich a clean sweep of titles for 2019-20.

Bundesliga, German Cup, Champions League. Everything they entered, they won.

It was a triumph, too, for coach Hansi Flick, who took an ailing team, turned them into a winning machine, and was vindicated in his decision-making to the very last day.

For example, Ivan Perisic has been excellent for Munich in this UEFA mini-tournament. For the final, Flick dropped him and replaced him with Coman. It was a bold move and it proved to be inspired.

The goal that secured a sixth Champions League or European Cup trophy came in the 59th minute. Bayern had enjoyed the best of the possession even if PSG should perhaps have done more with their chances.

The cross from the right, though, from Joshua Kimmich was perfection, struck to the far post and falling perfectly for Coman who had crept in behind full-back Thilo Kehrer. It still needed converting and Coman’s soft little header was masterful. He steered it past Keylor Navas into the far corner.

Flick’s reputation with Germany was as a set-piece specialist and one wonders how much time his players spend on the training field, honing their technique. It certainly paid off. Coman is a lovely, skilful player, but any oldfashioned centre-forward would have been proud of that header.

Credit also to Munich’s back line, with so many predicting a rude awakening against PSG’s forwards. The French have scored in their last 34 Champions League games, equalling a record set by Real Madrid between 2011 and 2014, but could find no way through here. Even once Munich had the lead, PSG did not look like scoring.

Munich were fitter, stronger and dictated the pace of the game. PSG, having spent so much money trying to win this trophy, grew increasingly rattled and irritable.

Only in stoppage time when Neymar shot across the face of goal did Munich look threatened.

They have long been acclaimed as the best in Europe this season but this win was accomplished, more than overwhelming. As so often happens in finals, when everybody predicts goals galore, two resilient defences turned up.

So the first half here at Estadio da Luz brought lots of attacking impetus but nothing that really frightened the horses, despite the wonderful talents on display.

Lewandowski, chasing Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for scoring in a Champions League season, had two good chances in front of goal, but could not convert.

Neymar made a pair of wonderful breaks through the heart of Bayern’s midfield, but nothing came of them, save an aggravation of the muscle injury that had threatened Jerome Boateng’s participation in the game.

As for Mbappe, he should have done better. He got into the best positions, but seemed almost reluctant to take advantage. The biggest stages can intimidate even the greatest players and while this famous arena was largely empty of sound, there was little doubt what was at stake with the prize so conspicuously positioned.

And it wasn’t entirely without noise, either. Both clubs were allowed 25 additional guests for the final, as well as squad players, backroom staff, owners and directors, and Munich’s at least were in good voice. They even had a crack at singing.

Not that there was much to sing about in the first 20 minutes for Bayern. They had decent possession but little cutting edge and the early chances fell to PSG.

In the 14th minute, Juan Bernat had a cross cut back from the left which fell to Mbappe, the first of several opportunities that were crowned with an underwhelming finish. This one was simply blocked.

Then, four minutes later, Neymar came down the same flank forcing a double save from Manuel Neuer. The first blocked his shot, the second cut out his attempt to clip the loose ball back to another blue shirt.

In the 23rd minute, PSG forced the best chance of the half with its best move. Neymar was the architect, sprinting through the middle, defenders and sentries in his wake, not least Boateng who was a pre-match doubt with a muscle injury. Neymar released the ball to Angel Di Maria, who played a lovely one-two with Ander Herrera, before firing a shot that

flew narrowly over the bar. Boateng fell to the floor, and played no further part in the game, replaced by Niklas Sule.

Soon after, Alphonso Davies was booked for a foul on Thilo Kehrer, putting him in jeopardy for the remaining hour, at least.

Serge Gnabry was booked in the second half for a nasty challenge on Neymar. Leandro Paredes of PSG also went into the book for the pushing and shoving it inspired.

Another decent chance went awry in the minute before half-time when shoddiness in the Munich defence set up Herrera, feeding the ball to Mbappe. He should have shot but gave it back to Herrera, who returned the favour, Mbappe then hitting a very tame one straight at Neuer. Poor.

At the other end, Lewandowski was faring little better. In the 22nd minute, he failed to get a proper connection on a cross from Davies, and although the ball hit a post, it was bobbling and scruffy, with goalkeeper Navas having difficulties.

Then a flick from Leon Goretzka found Lewandowski again, his header producing a reflex save from Navas, who gathered at the second attempt.

We might have expected more from PSG in the second half, but Coman sealed it for Munich just before the hour mark and the fitter, wilier team did not look back from there.

Former Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves said: ‘Hansi Flick has found all the right decisions at the key moment and today that decision was Kingsley Coman.

‘They call him the king around the training ground and he was the king today. This is one of the greatest Bayern teams ever.’