Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Bayern Munich: Initial observations and reactions

Initial observations and reactions

• Bayern are kings of Europe, nothing else matters. Bayern didn’t play the game exactly like they have this whole year, but they did exactly what they needed to do to get the job done. The haters and neigh-sayers cannot take this away from die Roten.
• Perfection. Even in this uncertain, unprecedented year, Bayern have been perfect. For the first time in competition history, the champion has made it through the whole tournament with a 100% record. It is absolutely astonishing what they have accomplished, in the league, in the cup, and in the Champions league.
• FC Bayern’s experience and professionalism showed through today. Although PSG had more stars – according to what the rest of the world says – Bayern was able to outclass the Parisians and never panic. PSG’s tactics went out the window when Coman scored, and just went forward without much of a purpose. Bayern played their game all the way through and are now rewarded with the Heynkelpott.

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Final! Bayern win 1-0!!

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90’ + 2 — After a chance for Lewandowski on the other end, the ball goes off a few PSG players and goes out for a goal kick.

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90’ — Five minutes of time has been added.

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90’ — Neuer makes a big save, but Mbape was offsides.

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86’— Bayern substitution: Tolisso on for Thiago

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85’— Yellow Card PSG. Kurzawa for a bad foul on Kimmich.

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84’— Coutinho misses just wide on ensuing freekick

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83’ — Yellow Card PSG. Thiago Silva fouls Lewandoski who would have been in on goal.

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81’ Yellow Card PSG. Neymar for a bad foul Lewandowski at midfield

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79’ — Stoppage in play as confusion ensue over a PSG sub. In the end Kurzawa comes on for injured Juan Bernat.

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74’— Spell of chances for PSG ends with Neymar putting the ball over the goal.

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72’ — Substitution for PSG. Draxler on for Hererra.

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70’ — Marquinhos gets the ball in the box, but Neuer clears

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68’— Double Substitution for Bayern: Coman and Gnabry off for Perisic and Coutinho.

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66’ — Ball in for Mbape misses the striker and falls harmlessly into Neuer’s hand.

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64’ — PSG Substitution: Paredes off for Veratti

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63’ — Coman has another great chance that is cleared off the line by Thiago Silva.

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59’ — GOAL! Bayern! Kingsley Coman off a header. Assisted by Kimmich.

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54’ — Yellow Card: Bayern. Sule for a tactical/bad foul at midfield

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51’ — Neymar is fouled and words are exchanged between members of PSG and Gnabry. One minute later, Gnabry fouls Neymar again and a confrontation happens again. Gnabry earns a Yellow card, as does Paredes for his actions afterwards.

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49’ — Bayern wins a corner. Short corner doesn’t yield a chance

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46’ — The ball is rolling again. A big 45 minutes to come

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Halftime observations and analysis

• Both teams are playing their style. Bayern has been dominant in possession and has created their chances. They have kept their highline, which has allowed PSG to get in behind on a few occasions. So far Bayern’s defense, helped along with one great save from Neuer, has been up to the task.
• Clear chances not taken from both teams. Both teams had clear chances in the box. Lewandowski hit the post, and both keepers have come up big, but each team will be kicking themselves for not putting the ball in the back of the net. If this pace keeps up, we could have an explosive second half forthcoming.
• Halftime adjustments could be the difference. Both coaches are brilliant and will have adjustments for their teams. The game has already been a chess match, look for more of it in the second half. The game could come down to which coach makes the right tactical move, rather than by the brilliance of the players on the pitch.

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Halftime — Bayern 0-0 PSG

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45’ — Alaba makes a mistake in the box that leads to a great chance, Neuer makes an easy save in the end. Bayern have two chances, one ended in Coman being brought down in the box. Referee said no penalty, and VAR wasn’t really involved

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42’— Bayern wins another corner after a breakaway. Ensuing kick misses everyone.

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39’ — Bayern wins a corner kick, but it is headed our for a throw.

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37’ — Bayern wins freekick after Lwandowski is clothes-lined. Ensuing set piece goes out for a goal kick

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34’— Gnabry just missed on long cross form Alaba. May have been offsides anyway

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31’— Lewandowski has a shot at point blank, but saved by Navas

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28’ — Yellow Card: Davies picks up a yellow for a bad foul. Short corner coming for PSG.

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25’— Bayern Substitution: Sule comes on for injured Jerome Boateng

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23’— PSG sprint forward in great fashion, but Di Maria skies the ball over the post.

Jerome Boateng is down with a knock

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22’ — Lewandowski beat the keeper, but hits the post!

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18’ — Neymar gets a shot off, saved by Neuer, out for a corner. Bayern clear the ball after the corner.

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13’— Mbape gets a shot off after a deflection falls to him in the box, shot was blocked by Goretzka.

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10’ — PSG wins a corner as Boateng heads a cross outside. Davies is in pain after colliding with Kehrer.

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9’ — PSG wins a free kick outside of Bayern’s box as Mbappé is fouled.

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7’ — A lot of back and forth and aerial balls so far. Bayern is working to press PSG’s defense to force errors. So far, they’ve created a handful of half-chances and a wild long shot by Thiago.

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Kickoff — We’re underway in Lisbon!

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One hour until kickoff: Lineups are out! The big surprise is that Kingsley Coman starts over Ivan Perisic in the final. The Frenchman faces his former team — can he be the difference?

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Alright, deep breaths. Let’s calm down for a second. I’ll be honest, as a Bayern Munich fan, it’s been hard to keep things together lately. Not just because we face PSG tonight, but because of everything that’s happened this season, not just in football, but to the world in general.

It almost feels surreal, in a way. A few months ago, the notion of a Champions League final was a faraway dream. Now, it’s right here in front of us. Seven long years without a single UCL has made us treat the 2013 final like a piece of history — remembered and venerated. This is made easier by the fact that many of the legends of that time have passed on to pastures new. Philippe Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery — all big names from 2013 — have left the club in recent years. It feels like a different era.

We have to remember, 2013 wasn’t that long ago. So many of the players who took to the pitch that night in Wembley are still playing now. Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng, and Manuel Neuer are the major ones, while Robert Lewandowski parachutes in from the Dortmund side of that game. However, this team has a distinct “new generation” feel to it as well, with youngsters like Leon Goretzka, Alphonso Davies, and Serge Gnabry — led by the vocal Joshua Kimmich. With Hansi Flick at the helm, this team also has a totally different look from the one that won it all in 2013.

So the big question is — can they do it? Anything is possible in football, of course. However, for Bayern Munich fans, that possibility usually amounts to heartbreak. Inter Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Liverpool — we have our fair share of devastating losses dotted across the past decade. Go back further, and you get Manchester United in the ‘99 final, which makes me grateful that I was too young to think back then.

This is what the Champions League is — the precipice of heartbreak. We have to take the plunge, and see what fate has in store. PSG are an excellent team. They have a good coach in Thomas Tuchel and incredible players in Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr., and Marco Verratti. There are no “easy” opponents in Champions League finals, and this is definitely a hard one. All of Hansi Flick’s preparation boils down to this one game. The entire team’s Champions League season hinges on 90 minutes of football.

It’s Bayern time.

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Match Info

Location: Estádio Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Lisbon, Portugal

Time: 8:00 pm local time, 3:00 pm EST

TV/streaming: Fubo.tv, Find Your Country

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