Bayern Munich wins in Paris and rekindles PSG trauma in the Champions League

The start of the round of 16 of the Champions League reignited the traumas of the Paris Saint-Germain fans, frustrated every year in each edition of the tournament, even with the millions invested in the club by its Qatari patrons. The new dose of frustration was added by Bayern Munich, who beat the Parisian team by 1 to 0, at the Parc des Princes, this Tuesday (14), and approached the qualification for the quarterfinals. The decision will be on March 8 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

The Bavarian goal was scored by Coman, who, although revealed by PSG, is remembered as an executioner, as he scored Bayern’s title goal over the French team in the Champions League of the 2019/2020 season. It was the closest the team came to winning the coveted tournament.

This whole scenario led the team of Neymar, Messi and Mbappé to enter the field with some pressure, due to the accumulated load. Also, the beginning of 2023 has not been the best. Of the 12 matches played – 11 official, plus a friendly with the Arab team – it won only half, mostly from inexpressive rivals, such as Châteauroux, Angers and Pays de Cassel.

After days of apprehension due to the injuries suffered by Mbappé and Messi, PSG had both players for this Tuesday’s duel. The Argentine started as a starter after being out of training for less than a week due to knocks to his thigh. The Frenchman injured his left thigh on February 1 and missed the next three games. As his situation requires greater care, he started the game on the bench.

Without Mbappé, the Parisian team had a bad first half, with Neymar and Messi erased. Bayern were quite comfortable in the Parc des Princes, kept the ball at their feet and populated the attacking field with most of their players. Dominated, PSG did not threaten Sommer’s goal, suffered a series of scares in defense and had a great defense by Donnarumma in the final minutes before the break, after Kimmich’s finish, so as not to be at a disadvantage on the scoreboard.

After saving his team at the end of the first half, Donnarumma let the ball pass under his body to allow Bayern to open the scoring seven minutes into the second half. The hesitation came after a first-time kick by Coman, served by Alphonso Davies, inside the area. Revealed by PSG, the club in which he made most of the base categories, the French striker did not celebrate. Four seasons ago, in the 2019/2020 Champions League final, Coman scored Bayern’s title goal right against PSG, and celebrated.

The conceded goal made Christophe Galtier decide that it was time to put Mbappé on the field and sent Soler to put him on. He also put Zaïre-Emery in place of Fabián Ruiz. Having Mabppé on the field, at first, did not change the scenario of the match, so much so that Choupo-Moting had two good finishes for Bayern. In one of them, Donnaruma reached the ball and still saw it hit the post.

Out of ideal conditions, as he was returning from injury, Mbappé became more participatory in the final stretch, and even scored twice, but was offside in both. The Parisian pressure was intense until the end, and Bayern did what they could to hold on, including having Pavard sent off after a violent foul on Messi close to the area. With one less in the additions, the German team protected itself and secured the victory.

IN ITALY, MILAN WINS TOTTENHAM AND JUMPS AHEAD

In another game of the round of 16 of the Champions League, also this Tuesday, Milan had a goal scored in the seventh minute of the first half, by Diaz, to beat Tottenham by 1-0, at the San Siro. The Brazilian striker Richarlison, who lost space in the English team, entered only at the end of the second half and was unable to help reverse the situation. The new opportunity for this will be on March 8, when the two teams face each other again, this time in London, to decide the place in the quarterfinals.