Champions League Final 2020 - Bayern Munich v PSG
Champions League Final 2020 - Bayern Munich v PSG: How It Unfolded
Paris was the first city to host the final of this prestigious competition, where Stade de Reims played Real Madrid at the Parc des Princes. That was in 1956. Could PSG bring the big-eared trophy back to the city where it all began? They have a tough battle ahead in opponents, Bayern Munich. The German side have been formidable this season, with their last defeat in this competition coming at the hands of Liverpool in March 2019. If they are victorious tonight, the Germans will have made history by going an entire Champions League campaign without losing a single game. Much of their success is owed to their attacking threat, with their top marksman, Robert Lewandowski, scoring in every European game so far.
PSG are not without their own attacking threat. Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have been in good form this season, scoring a combined 31 goals in Ligue 1. Perhaps this will be the game where they can both step out of Messi’s shadow and respectively establish themselves as two of the world’s best players.
Bayern were playing slightly deeper in the opening minutes of the game, particularly in comparison to their layout when they ravaged Barcelona 8-2 in the quarterfinals. PSG were enjoying long spells of possession and even managed to break on the Bayern defence. It was clear Manuel Neuer would need a good game between the posts. He was playing his 111th game in the Champions League tonight, equalling Petr Cech’s record for appearances. In the 18th minute, that experience was tested. Neymar forced him into a fabulous double save after Mbappe found some space outside the box.
It took Bayern less than five minutes to fashion a chance of their own. Alphonso Davies rolled a speculative ball across the box. Lewandowski found enough room for a shot and hit the post. Had he got cleaner contact on the ball, the Polish striker was definitely looking at his 56th goal of the season in all competitions.
The referee gave Alphonso Davies an early yellow card for taking down Kehrer near the corner flag. As yet, the 19-year-old Canadian wonder boy was not playing to his exceedingly high standards. Maybe he would shake off the nerves in the second half. His teammate, Kingsley Coman, was repaying the manager’s trust to start him over Ivan Perisic. The young Frenchman was electric down the left flank, twisting Kehrer’s legs into Bavarian pretzels.
PSG have conceded the fewest goals in this year’s campaign and the evidence of their defensive prowess was abundantly clear. The Brazilian pairing of Marquinhos and Thiago Silva were impenetrable in that first half, but PSG really ought to have been 1-0 to the good. They will be cursing themselves in the changing room for not taking their chances. Mbappe nearly capitalised on an uncharacteristic Bayern Munich mistake. David Alaba gave the ball away in his own box and almost cost his side a goal. He has the long limbs of Neuer to thank for keeping them at 0-0.
Things got a little hostile following the restart but it was all handbags at dawn – Serge Gnabry tripped up Neymar which caused a stir from the French side. Parades earned a yellow card for his troubles.
Just when I was singing my praises for PSG’s defensive performance, everything was undone by a goal for Bayern Munich. Joshua Kimmich found himself in an advanced position and curled a beautiful ball to the back post where Kingsley Coman was waiting patiently to nod it beyond Keylor Navas. [1-0]
Surprisingly, the brightest player on the field in Kingsley Coman was substituted after 68 minutes. He was having great success against the PSG right-back, yet Hansi Flick apparently saw it necessary to make the change nevertheless.
In the final ten minutes, Mbappe and Neymar broke quickly on the Bayern defence, inspired by the introduction of Marco Verrati. However, Neuer has been equal to everything tonight. I am convinced that he is an Übermensch who possesses goalkeeping superpowers. Thanks to him, the night belonged to Bayern Munich, winning their sixth Champions League trophy after a seven-year drought on the European stage. The PSG players looked crestfallen after the final whistle, especially their captain, Thiago Silva, whose head might already be in West London.
FACT OF THE DAY: At the age of 24, Kingsley Coman has won 20 trophies in his professional career.
Paris was the first city to host the final of this prestigious competition, where Stade de Reims played Real Madrid at the Parc des Princes. That was in 1956. Could PSG bring the big-eared trophy back to the city where it all began? They have a tough battle ahead in opponents, Bayern Munich. The German side have been formidable this season, with their last defeat in this competition coming at the hands of Liverpool in March 2019. If they are victorious tonight, the Germans will have made history by going an entire Champions League campaign without losing a single game. Much of their success is owed to their attacking threat, with their top marksman, Robert Lewandowski, scoring in every European game so far.
PSG are not without their own attacking threat. Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have been in good form this season, scoring a combined 31 goals in Ligue 1. Perhaps this will be the game where they can both step out of Messi’s shadow and respectively establish themselves as two of the world’s best players.
Bayern were playing slightly deeper in the opening minutes of the game, particularly in comparison to their layout when they ravaged Barcelona 8-2 in the quarterfinals. PSG were enjoying long spells of possession and even managed to break on the Bayern defence. It was clear Manuel Neuer would need a good game between the posts. He was playing his 111th game in the Champions League tonight, equalling Petr Cech’s record for appearances. In the 18th minute, that experience was tested. Neymar forced him into a fabulous double save after Mbappe found some space outside the box.
It took Bayern less than five minutes to fashion a chance of their own. Alphonso Davies rolled a speculative ball across the box. Lewandowski found enough room for a shot and hit the post. Had he got cleaner contact on the ball, the Polish striker was definitely looking at his 56th goal of the season in all competitions.
The referee gave Alphonso Davies an early yellow card for taking down Kehrer near the corner flag. As yet, the 19-year-old Canadian wonder boy was not playing to his exceedingly high standards. Maybe he would shake off the nerves in the second half. His teammate, Kingsley Coman, was repaying the manager’s trust to start him over Ivan Perisic. The young Frenchman was electric down the left flank, twisting Kehrer’s legs into Bavarian pretzels.
PSG have conceded the fewest goals in this year’s campaign and the evidence of their defensive prowess was abundantly clear. The Brazilian pairing of Marquinhos and Thiago Silva were impenetrable in that first half, but PSG really ought to have been 1-0 to the good. They will be cursing themselves in the changing room for not taking their chances. Mbappe nearly capitalised on an uncharacteristic Bayern Munich mistake. David Alaba gave the ball away in his own box and almost cost his side a goal. He has the long limbs of Neuer to thank for keeping them at 0-0.
Things got a little hostile following the restart but it was all handbags at dawn – Serge Gnabry tripped up Neymar which caused a stir from the French side. Parades earned a yellow card for his troubles.
Just when I was singing my praises for PSG’s defensive performance, everything was undone by a goal for Bayern Munich. Joshua Kimmich found himself in an advanced position and curled a beautiful ball to the back post where Kingsley Coman was waiting patiently to nod it beyond Keylor Navas. [1-0]
Surprisingly, the brightest player on the field in Kingsley Coman was substituted after 68 minutes. He was having great success against the PSG right-back, yet Hansi Flick apparently saw it necessary to make the change nevertheless.
In the final ten minutes, Mbappe and Neymar broke quickly on the Bayern defence, inspired by the introduction of Marco Verrati. However, Neuer has been equal to everything tonight. I am convinced that he is an Übermensch who possesses goalkeeping superpowers. Thanks to him, the night belonged to Bayern Munich, winning their sixth Champions League trophy after a seven-year drought on the European stage. The PSG players looked crestfallen after the final whistle, especially their captain, Thiago Silva, whose head might already be in West London.
FACT OF THE DAY: At the age of 24, Kingsley Coman has won 20 trophies in his professional career.
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