On Tuesday, in the first leg of the 2025-2026 Champions League semi-final (second leg on May 6), Paris Saint-Germain faced Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes. After a match in which the Parisians delivered a truly wild performance, they emerged victorious 5-4. Here are our player ratings for the Parisians.
Goalkeeper –
Matvey Safonov (6) – A solid first half. He could do little about the two goals. He was present and focused. Overall, a very difficult match against an impressive Bayern Munich side in attack.
Defenders –
Achraf Hakimi (7) – He hasn’t yet regained his pre-injury form, but he continues to tirelessly contribute both defensively and offensively. He once again covered his flank with formidable efficiency. A complete performance.
Marquinhos (5) – In the “big duels,” it’s noticeable that he’s increasingly lacking in pace. He’s still there in the big games, though, and contributes a lot to the team. He defends a bit too far from his direct opponents, and you can tell he struggled to finish the match.
Willian Pacho (5) – Less incisive in duels, he made a few small errors that seem somewhat understandable given how much quality Bayern displays in tight spaces. However, he wasn’t as dominant in the first half as he has been in his best performances. It was a difficult match for him too, but Bayern Munich’s attacking prowess must be acknowledged.
Nuno Mendes (5) – Not exceptional against Olise in the first half. He struggled to get his shots on target. However, he has so much quality that he can also cause Bayern Munich serious problems. Struggling against Olise, he showed that he might not be back to 100%, even though his opponent is a great player with immense talent. Replaced by Lucas Hernandez in the 84th minute.
Midfielders –
Joao Neves (7) – Scored a header, very active, a great first half. A complete performance from him, with plenty of work rate and desire; he put up a good fight.
Vitinha (5.5) – He played deep, but he managed to create space for his team. He distributed the ball, left and right, as he knows so well how to do. He faded as the match went on, probably a little short on fitness.
Warren Zaïre-Emery (6.5) – Tough in the tackle, he showed character and made a real difference physically in the first half. Working behind the scenes, his main role was to use his power in midfield; he did his job. Replaced by Fabian Ruiz in the 64th minute.
Forwards –
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (8) – Another goal in a great match. He’s so driven by his obsession with causing problems both offensively and defensively. However, he came off at halftime with slight concerns about a possible injury. Scoring twice, he had another great game. Replaced by Senny Mayulu in the 84th minute.
Ousmane Dembélé (8) – He lacked composure on several occasions, but he finally converted a penalty. For the rest of the match, he showed his strong desire to reach the Champions League final again. He scored a second goal, leading the way in a great match. He finished tired.
Désiré Doué (6) – Flashes of brilliance, moments of overly individualistic play. You can sense he can be a game-changer, even if his finishing in the first half was rather disappointing. Provided the assist for Kvratskhelia’s goal, he did indeed set up the Georgian well, though the Georgian then created the goal himself. He also provided the assist for the fifth goal; his pass wasn’t extraordinary, but he was there. Substituted by Bradley Barcola in the 70th minute.
Coach –
Luis Enrique (7) – Managing to play this kind of match against Bayern Munich shows that he knows exactly what he’s doing. There are still some reasons for disappointment, such as the fact that his team failed to control the game. Nevertheless, he delivered another quality performance at the Parc des Princes.
