Paris Saint-Germain's 5:4 victory over Bayern in the first leg of the semi-final has enchanted the football world. The Champions League final will be decided in Munich on Wednesday.
06.05.2026, 05:00
06.05.2026, 07:39
SDA
All superlatives were used after the first leg, such was the level of play. PSG coach Luis Enrique summed it up perfectly: it was "a unique game of football" for him. His team won, "but it could have ended in a draw and we could have lost it too - it wouldn't have been unfair."
The question ahead of the second leg is therefore simple: will the players be able to repeat such a performance to make good on the promise of the first leg and perhaps even reach new heights?
Bayern not in the final since 2020
PSG's narrow lead at least leaves room for another spectacular scenario. The impressive "symphony" of play that the 22 players put on last week almost made you forget what was actually at stake: a place in the final of the top flight on May 30 in Budapest.
It would be PSG's third appearance in the final in seven years and Luis Enrique's second in a row. The Spaniard is closing in on Zinédine Zidane. He won three titles in a row with Real Madrid in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
A place in the final would put PSG in an exclusive circle of clubs - including Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich - that have reached at least two Champions League finals in a row since the reform (1992/93). Above all, reaching the final would once again confirm the project of the French serial champions, who now rely on a collective - without any real superstars after the era of Neymar, Mbappé and Messi.
Bayern, for their part, are aiming for their twelfth final in the top flight, with the last one dating back to their sixth title win in 2020 - a 1-0 victory over PSG thanks to a goal from Kingsley Coman in a dismal ghost game due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Impressive series from PSG
On Wednesday at the Allianz Arena, PSG will return to the place of their dream, where they won the Champions League for the first time at the end of May 2025 - with a show of strength against Inter Milan (5-0). Freed from the pressure that used to paralyze them, the Parisians now look much more confident in big games. They are contesting their fifth semi-final in seven years (2020, 2021, 2024, 2025 and 2026).
Their last semi-final defeat came in 2024 against Borussia Dortmund (0:1 in the first and second legs), when Enrique's side failed to capitalize on their lack of chances. Given the five goals scored in the first leg, all that seems a long way off.
Much has changed since two years ago: Ousmane Dembélé has matured into an offensive (and even defensive) leader, Khvicha Kvaratskhelya is putting in consistently strong performances, the pressing is intense and the switching moments are clear. The midfield is also one of the best in Europe.
"Not changing our style"
PSG are now just as strong away from home as they are at the Parc des Princes - thanks to a mixture of mental strength, collective unity and youthful recklessness. The second leg of the quarter-final in Liverpool three weeks ago (2:0 win) is the best example of this.
The only uncertainty concerns the defense. Against Bayern's attacking trio - Luis Diaz, Michael Olise and Harry Kane - the defense around Marquinhos and Willian Pacho struggled in the first leg. In addition, right-back Achraf Hakimi is out due to a thigh injury.
"It's not just about individual quality, but above all about a functioning system. It's similar for us: no matter who plays in the full-back position, the profile remains the same," explained Joshua Kimmich at the weekend, who is convinced that there will be another spectacle. "We won't change our style of play or our identity. We've been too successful for that so far," announced the FC Bayern midfielder.
