Nevertheless, coach Vincent Kompany’s team managed to keep the game open for as long as possible. But Harry Kane’s equalizing goal came too late, and in the end we have to realize that Paris, as defending champions, deserves to be in the final – and not Bayern. PSG was what Bayern were not in the first and second legs: ice-cold in the end, constantly dangerous – and now also defensively stable. 34 percent of ball possession in Munich was enough for them to have almost as many – and often more high-quality – shots on goal (15 to 18), more corners (8 to 1) and more ball conquests (41 to 38), with which they were able to repeatedly put pinpricks against the Munich team, who once again seemed extremely vulnerable in defense.
At this point I have to defend coach Kompany against accusations that he should have made his team more defensive, should have countered the Parisian offensive force instead of going into an unbridled exchange of blows with an open mind. But that’s FC Bayern in 2025/26, with exactly this offensive style of play they have repeatedly thrilled us and had success in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions League. 116 goals in the Bundesliga speak for themselves. A trainer cannot suddenly turn that off and focus entirely on control and safety. On the contrary: Kompany would not only have unsettled his players, but would also have robbed his team of their greatest strength.
Unfortunately, after this second leg there is also talk about the referee. Because referee João Pinheiro didn’t have his best day, to Bayern’s chagrin. The handball by Paris’ Nuno Mendes was a clear yellow-red card, the handball that Pinheiro claims to have previously recognized from Bayern’s Konrad Laimer was not visible to me even in the umpteenth repetition.
