Here is what you missed in the PSG-Bayern game

Nine goals, many chances, crazy tempo during the whole 90 minutes…everything was there to see during the first leg of the semi-final game between Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich. The fans were thrilled, the former players and pundits too, even the managers didn’t held back their excitement. And yet there are so many things which went ‘under the radar’ due to the actual game. Many statistical record were either broken or looked unreal. There was as a friendly exchange of words between managers who bumped into each other in the mix zone and also not so pleasant encounter between Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer and the PSG ball boy….

Let’s start from the latter. The 40-year old keeper is one of the best on the planet, but his performances have not been good lately. In recent years, Neuer was excellent and then made a blunder every now and then. In the last couple of months, it’s been vice versa. For example, last night, he did not save a single shot against the home team, and he is the first keeper in the last 16 UCL seasons to concede 5+ goals without recording a single save. Neuer was also very annoyed by the fact that his team was on the losing end at one point (5-2) but what made him even angrier is the unacceptable behavior of the ball boy. The Prime Video caught the moment when the Bayern keeper asks the boy for a ball. But he not only refused to do what is his duty, but demonstratively pulled the ball away from Neuer with his foot, The German keeper looked astonished, spoke briefly to the boy and then turned away, clearly not wanting to lose any more time over this.

Why can’t this match last forever? PSG broke Bayern in one of the greatest UCL matches ever!

The second interesting moment happened after the game when Vincent Kompany and Luis Enrique met in the mix zone. The Spaniard asked his counterpart if he liked the view from the stands as Kompany was suspended and wasn’t in the dugout.

"Did you watch the match from the stands? Did you enjoy it?" asked Enrique with a smile, why Kompany replied "No! I really didn't enjoy it" before shaking hands with the PSG coach. Later on, Kompany told reporters that he cannot understand how Enrique can watch the game from the stands, which is something the Spanish coach is doing on a regular bases since September, because, as he says, it gives him more information. This was, by the way, a normal thing in the Premier League at the beginning of 21st century, when almost all managers, including the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson sat in the stands during the first half in order to have a better view on the game. Today’s modern managers are not doing it.

“The best match I've been in as a manager”

But, Kompany was forced to do it due to his suspension, and apart from goals and chances, he witnessed some statistical data which he will surely use in his game preparation. His team allowed five goals last night, something which hasn’t happened to the Bavarians for 31 years. The last time they allowed so many goals in Europe was on April 19, 1995, in the Champions League semi-final second leg at Ajax Amsterdam (2-5). Even this amount of goals in the semi-finals hasn’t been scored for over 60 years. For that, we have to go back to May 1960, when Frankfurt and Glasgow scored nine goals (the Germans won 6-3). But five goals scored in the first half is certainly a new record. Also, PSG is the first team to score three goals at this stage before the break since Real Madrid in 2014 against... Bayern Munich (4-0 at the end). Also, there is only one game in the knockout stages of the Champions League in the 21st century which had so many goals and Bayern was involved in this match too. It was the famous 8-2 rout over Barcelona in 2020, and Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies, Leon Goretzka and Lucas Hernandez (now with PSG) played in that game.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - SEMI-FINALS

First leg

Tuesday

PSG - Bayern 5-4 (3-2)

/Kvaratskhelia 24, 56, Neves 33, Dembele 45+5 pen, 58 - Kane 17 pen, Olise 41, Upamecano 65, Diaz 68/

Wednesday

22.00: (3.00) Atl.Madrid (3.25) Arsenal (2.60)

***odds are subject to change***