On Tuesday evening, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in the first leg of their 2025-2026 Champions League semi-final (second leg on May 6) at the Parc des Princes. Here are the highlights and lowlights of this victory.
Highs –
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
If there’s one PSG player who was virtually flawless, it’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The 25-year-old striker responded physically and, above all, with brilliance to the challenge posed by Bayern Munich. He did so with ruthless efficiency, scoring a brace. A truly outstanding performance that further confirms his place at the highest level.
A crazy match.
One might be disappointed by certain aspects, such as the defeat as a Bayern player, or the goals conceded at 5-2 as a PSG player. But there’s no denying it was an exceptional and exciting match to watch. Even for a casual football fan with no preference for one team or another. We’re undoubtedly halfway to a semi-final that will be remembered for years to come.
Lows –
Physical concerns.
Kvaratskhelia, Achraf Hakimi (27-year-old right-back), and Nuno Mendes (23-year-old left-back) visibly finished the match with some aches and pains. It’s not yet known if there’s an injury, but it’s a worry we could certainly do without for the return leg.
PSG struggled a bit too much.
It’s understandable to have periods of weakness against such a Bayern Munich side. But PSG struggled a bit too much to defend their penalty area and establish periods of dominance. Especially in the last 30 minutes, after going down 5-2, which is frustrating.
The substitutions.
In the end-of-match struggles, Fabian Ruiz (30-year-old midfielder), Bradley Barcola (23-year-old forward), Senny Mayulu (19-year-old midfielder/forward), and Lucas Hernandez (30-year-old defender) all came on as substitutes. None of them managed to fully adapt to the game and make a real difference. Perhaps Mayulu stood out the most, though. We hope for better from the Parisian bench.
