Game of the year? Of the decade? Of the century? The nine-goal spectacle between winners Paris and losers FC Bayern is "an ode to football". And the best thing: round two will follow in Munich.
29.04.2026, 13:30
29.04.2026, 13:37
SDA
On entering the banquet hall of the team hotel, the Munich losers were applauded and cheered like winners after the nine-goal madness in Paris. The scene after midnight seemed surreal. But it was fitting for this crazy evening, which actually had several winners.
Including, somehow, these comeback Bavarians, who were already on the brink of being knocked out in semi-final round one after an hour at 2:5. "You're actually dead there. You're sitting in the stands and thinking: Oh, oh, oh, how is this going to turn out," said CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen in his banquet speech. But in the stadium of defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, Munich got back up and forced a 4:5 final result.
It was an evening of wow-effects at the Prinzenpark. A rollercoaster ride of emotions and twists and turns. "A clash" between two football heavyweights, as Bayern coach Vincent Kompany put it. PSG may have been the winners, but world footballer Ousmane Dembélé and Co. kept Bayern in the game.
"Everyone has that belief in the final"
"It feels positive, even though we lost," said Joshua Kimmich. The midfielder reported on a cabin vow for the second leg. "Everyone in the dressing room has this belief, the feeling, the self-confidence that we can beat Paris at home. We don't need a 3-0 win now."
Everyone - coaches, players, bosses, fans and every football lover - can already look forward to round two next Wednesday in the Munich Arena. "I can hardly wait," said Kompany, who will once again be down on the sidelines in the middle of the heated action. At the Prinzenpark, his assistant Aaron Danks had to take over the boss job.
The experience of having to watch helplessly high up under the stadium roof, "I didn't enjoy it," explained Kompany. "It was really difficult. And then 5:2 - PSG were already celebrating. But the way my team came back, I enjoyed that a bit on the top floor. And we now have one goal: to get to the final."
"The best game I've been to"
Two great coaches gave the fans a historic semi-final with their idea of full-throttle football with outstanding attacking artists. Winger Chwitscha Kwarazchelia and world footballer Dembélé both scored twice for Paris. And Bayern's entire over-100-goal attack scored with the ice-cold penalty taker Harry Kane, the brilliant Michael Olise and the incredible chaos kicker Luis Díaz, who never runs out of steam.
"It was the best game I've been involved in as a coach," enthused Enrique. The Spaniard had no complaints about the three-goal lead they had largely lost after an hour. "We deserved the win. But we also deserved a draw. And even a defeat. This game was simply incredible," said Enrique enthusiastically.
The world's press bowed down to the two teams, who produced fireworks worthy of a final. "An ode to football" was the headline in the Spanish newspaper "AS". The English Daily Mail wrote: "Wow, just wow. Wonderful. Crazy. Magnificent. Silly. Special. Relentless." And Italy's "Gazzetta dello Sport" said: "PSG and Bayern, you're madness! Magical moments, post goals and nine goals in the match of the year."
It continues in Munich
Match of the year? Of the decade? Of the century? The best thing is that it's not over yet. It continues in Munich in the second leg. And while both coaches will address mistakes and defensive shortcomings, they won't shake up their style of hurrah. "Football is like religion. You can always discuss it," said Kompany when asked about adjustments to the hustle and bustle.
There could have been 13, 14 or 15 goals instead of nine. Kompany expects nothing different in the second leg. "Paris won't simply accept doing things differently. And neither will we." Although a simple 1:0 would be enough to force extra time.
While still in Paris, Kompany made a fiery appeal to everyone who managed to get a ticket for the second leg. "The same fire" was needed in the Allianz Arena as in the furious 4:3 win in the quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid. "My only request is that if someone has bought a ticket and doesn't feel well on match day, they stay at home. And give your ticket to the fittest people who can take the power of the Allianz Arena with its 75,000 fans. We have to win - and we need the support."
But Enrique's star ensemble has already proven that it is capable of great things in Munich. In the 2025 final, PSG triumphed there 5:0 against Inter Milan, FC Bayern's quarter-final opponents at the time.
