This is a tough one to swallow.
Bayern Munich fell 6-5 on aggregate over two Champions League semifinals legs to Paris Saint-Germain, and unlike the fireworks of last week, were completely contained at home in a match that left little doubt as to the superior side.
PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia combined with Ousmane Dembélé to stun the Allianz Arena into silence not even two minutes past the opening whistle, cutting apart a Bayern defense that has lately been too ready to concede early. Then — officiating
controversies aside — PSG turned in an absolutely convincing performance, controlling more and more as the match went on while still retaining creative flair on the other end. Bayern chased the game the entire way, but it was Manuel Neuer who was the goalkeeper forced into more desperate action. And by some distance.
Bayern’s flair, meanwhile, did not materialize. Whether by fatigue or nerves or just a bad day at the office, Bayern attackers struggled to be incisive. The game state didn’t help, as PSG defended incredibly well both individually — Willian Pacho’s performance standing out — and as a collective, keeping a wall of bodies in front of Bayern’s flummoxed front four. Still, the stars that carried Bayern’s attack all season long snatched at their chances and frequently took the wrong option, either rushing their shots or hesitating and passing until the opportunity had gone.
A few efforts did come close, after all; Michael Olise’s cut-in-and-shoot trick nearly finding the top corner before nestling just above the crossbar and onto the net. Jamal Musiala had himself two golden looks in the space of a minute but could not deliver. Luis Díaz was threatening on the dribble but off-key in the critical moments. Bayern fans have been treated to moments of magic all season long, but today, the pixie dust was just not there.
As we look towards next season, the squad size narrative will once again take center stage. Bayern execs defended the transfer policy in the most successful phases of this campaign, even crediting a smaller squad with contributing to harmony. In the most important match of the season, though, Vincent Kompany could only turn to Nicolas Jackson as a fully fit attacking substitute — a player whose loan stint has already been confirmed as not successful enough to keep him around.
In the end, Bayern just did not have enough at the very last. It has been a campaign of incredible heights — but now, the Bavarians will need to assess where they need to invest to build on this and come back stronger.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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