PSG, a draw is enough: 1-1 with Bayern, it’s on to the final with'Arsenal

PSPG will challenge Arsenal for the Champions League in the final to be held in Budapest on May 30. The Parisians only needed to draw 1-1 in Munich against Bayern, beaten 5-4 at home in the historic first leg semifinal. Numerous polemics from the home crowd despite a rather clear domination of Luis Enrique’s team, leading after just 3 minutes through Ousmane Dembele’s goal and reached only at 94′ by the usual Harry Kane.

The tensions, however, had preceded by far the starting whistle. About 1,000 fans heading to the Allianz Arena had been forced off a subway train because of a fire start.The convoy had been evacuated at Dietlindenstrasse station to allow firefighters to intervene, with heavy repercussions on traffic in the area. According to an initial reconstruction reported by Bild, the alarm was reportedly caused by an electronic cigarette, forcing the train to be withdrawn from service and causing the stop of the U6 line, one of the main connections to the stadium.

After the tensions of the eve, PSG immediately put things straight by taking the lead on 3′ when Dembele discharged into the net a ball brought forward by Kvaratskhelia after an unstoppable scramble. Bayern was inaccurate in its attempts to equalize entrusted to Olise and Musiala, while Neuer proved decisive with a prodigious intervention on Joao Neves’ header at 33′. Before and after his great save, however, controversy had run through the Allianz Arena.

The hottest moment had occurred at 34′, just moments after Neuer’s save: on the corner kick awarded to PSG, the Bavarian fans had pelted Dembele with throwing objects, forcing referee Joao Pinheiro to momentarily stop play. It was Neuer himself who took charge of calming the tempers in the stands before the game could resume in relative calm. The home crowd’s protests had already found fertile ground in the preceding minutes, when Pinheiro had chosen not to draw a yellow card against Nuno Mendes — already cautioned — for a deflection with his arm, and then Joao Neves for a similar irregular touch.

The resumption gave Bayern fewer chances than the home crowd had hoped for, so much so that Neuer’s tally of saves came to five after resounding interventions on Doué and Kvaratskhelia. The PSG goalkeeper, Safonov, is finally called into action by Luis Diaz when there are just over 20 minutes left to 90′, then capitulates in the midst of the recovery when Davies serves Kane deep into the box who strikes him with a left-footed shot. For the Bavarians, however, it was too late.

It is worth remembering what had happened in the memorable first leg match at the Parc des Princes. It was the Bavarians who had taken the lead, with a penalty kick scored by Harry Kane at 17′. PSG’s reaction, however, had been immediate: Kvaratskhelia had equalized on 24′ with a splendid personal cue, then Joao Neves had signed the 2-1 header on a corner. After Olise’s momentary equalizer at 41′, Dembele had sealed the 3-2 on a penalty kick in the first half recovery. In the second half, PSG had seemed to close the score with goals from Kvaratskhelia and Dembele himself to make it 5-2, but Bayern had shortened it to 5-4 with goals from Upamecano and Luis Diaz, making the return leg at the Allianz Arena a very open challenge.

PSPG had faced this double challenge with a heavy absence: Hakimi, one of the most dangerous men in Luis Enrique’s team, had been stopped by an injury suffered in the very first leg match, forcing the Spanish coach to adapt the right flank with Zaire-Emery. A shortcoming that did not, however, prevent the Parisians from controlling both challenges against the German champions with authority.

Now PSG waits to know its fate in the final in Budapest on May 30, where it will find Arsenal. The Gunners had already pulled off their pass in the semifinal against Atletico Madrid, overcoming the Colchoneros in the return match at Emirates Stadium after a 1-1 draw at the Metropolitano. A final that, according to several observers, sees the Londoners start with the favor of prediction: Clarence Seedorf, asked after the spectacular first leg match between PSG and Bayern, had pointed precisely to Arsenal as the team best equipped to take home the title, praising its solidity and ability to manage the matches that matter.