High expectations surrounded the Champions League semifinal clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. Both elite teams showcased their prowess in a thrilling first leg on Tuesday at the Parc des Princes.
PSG edged out Bayern with a 5-4 victory, making it the highest-scoring UCL semifinal in history and the second-highest-scoring knockout match overall. Despite the defeat, Bayern Munich will head into the second leg at home with optimism after battling closely with the defending champions in what was a true European classic.
The match began with an explosive pace, setting a record for most first-half goals in a Champions League semifinal, with five scored. Harry Kane and Michael Olise opened the scoring for Bayern, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, João Neves, and Ousmane Dembélé found the net for PSG, leading 3-2 at halftime.
Dembélé’s goal came from the penalty spot just before the break after a contentious handball was called against Alphonso Davies following a VAR review, despite vehement protests from the Bayern squad.
“Two top-class teams, both attacking without holding back,” Dembélé reflected post-match. “We respect Bayern, but we see ourselves as equals. At 5-2, we may have relaxed a bit. It was an amazing match, but now we’re headed to Munich with the aim of qualifying. We’ll keep our attacking style.”
The home team only picked up steam as the game progressed, quickly increasing their lead to 5-2 after Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé each scored again.
Kvaratskhelia struck from the heart of the penalty area on a swift PSG counter, with Dembélé allowing the ball to pass through to his teammate, who confidently shot past Manuel Neuer.
The Georgia international has made a significant impact since joining PSG from Napoli in 2025, being involved in 20 goals across 23 Champions League matches, equaling Kylian Mbappé and Kane for the highest number in that time frame.
Even with the match tilting in favor of PSG, Bayern continued to press forward, and their determination paid off as Dayot Upamecano scored the team’s third and Luis Díaz followed with a brilliant goal to close the gap to 5-4 with just 20 minutes to play.
“I think football fans everywhere enjoyed this match; it was a true pleasure to be a part of,” said PSG defender Marquinhos. “It was an incredible game, and I’m sure the next leg will be just as exciting.”
The deciding second leg will take place on May 6 at the Allianz Arena, with the winner set to advance to the final in Budapest against the victor of the other semifinal between Atlético Madrid and Arsenal.
“It’s tough to feel happy after a loss, but I genuinely believed we could have won the match,” reflected Kane. “To come back from 5-2 down in a semifinal away from home shows great character. Nine goals were scored today, and the tie feels like it’s level at 1-nil going into Allianz.”
“It was a wild game, so much to digest and improve on, yet we’re satisfied with scoring four away goals. Now, we need to make the Allianz our stronghold for the return leg.”
Coached by Vincent Kompany, Bayern has already secured a record-extending 35th Bundesliga title and is targeting a treble, having also reached the final of the German Cup. Due to Kompany’s suspension, assistant coach Aaron Danks filled in at the Parc des Princes. In November, Bayern had previously won 2-1 in Paris during the group stage, thanks in part to Díaz’s two goals.
Two-time finalists and reigning champions PSG were competing in their third consecutive semifinal, while Bayern had maintained an unbeaten streak across all competitions dating back to January 24.
Information from The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this report.