PARIS — Vincent Kompany might have been the only person at Parc des Princes who didn’t relish the dramatic Champions League semifinal clash between his Bayern Munich side and Paris Saint-Germain.
Serving a one-game suspension and unable to be on the touchline, Kompany sat with his staff in the media section wearing an earpiece, feeling disconnected from the action.
“It’s not enjoyable,” Kompany said to Prime Video. “If it never happens again, I’ll be happy.”
The intense twists of PSG’s 5-4 first-leg victory were evident on Kompany’s face. While assistant Aaron Danks took over on the sidelines, Kompany was initially seen smiling and shaking hands in the first half, but his demeanor turned serious as his team fell behind 5-2 before staging a comeback.
“I can’t make decisions from 80 meters (262 feet) away,” Kompany explained. “But I appreciated the players’ response from up in the stands.”
In contrast, Luis Enrique, his PSG counterpart, viewed the match from the sideline and called it the best game he’s ever coached.
Although Luis Enrique has occasionally chosen to watch from the stands for a better tactical perspective, Kompany wasn’t convinced that was the right approach.
“I don’t understand why. I wouldn’t do that,” the Belgian coach remarked.
With UEFA regulations preventing Kompany from being near the field or team bench, and also barring his access to the locker room, Danks assumed command for the first time since a two-match interim stint at Aston Villa back in 2022.
Although Danks specializes in set-pieces for Bayern, the team nonetheless allowed a straightforward headed goal from a corner, as João Neves evaded his marker Jamal Musiala, giving PSG a 2-1 lead. Dayot Upamecano scored Bayern’s third goal with a header from a free-kick, fitting the team’s expectations.
Harry Kane and Michael Olise found the net for Bayern, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Neves, and Ousmane Dembélé scored for PSG, leaving the hosts ahead 3-2 at halftime. Following Upamecano’s header that reduced the deficit, PSG added to their score after the break with Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé netting headers of their own before Luis Diaz scored a stunning goal to keep Bayern within striking distance for the second leg.
With his suspension lifted, Kompany will return to the technical area for the second leg next Wednesday, aiming for an even more electrifying atmosphere than the one experienced during the thrilling quarterfinal match against Real Madrid.
“The energy was incredible against Madrid. We need that level of passion, or even more – that’s all I can ask,” he expressed to Prime Video. “I would attend a match like that, but definitely not to be quiet.”