The second leg of the Champions League semi-final between FC Bayern and Paris Saint-Germain captivates the whole world. While Vincent Kompany appears calm, Jonathan Tah talks about special walks with his dog.
Suddenly there it is again, that very special atmosphere in the city, when the big FC Bayern seems even bigger than usual and captivates the whole of Munich. When things get tingling and this one football game becomes the main topic of conversation on the streets, whether among die-hard FC Bayern fans, sympathizers, agnostics – yes, even among Lions fans.
FC Bayern conjures itself into the spotlight world public
Wednesday (FC Bayern – Paris Saint-Germain, live in the radio report on BR24Sport from 9 p.m) promises to be an extraordinary football festival once again. The spectacular 5:4 between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final has caused expectations for this second leg to rise to unimagined heights.
The entire football world has an opinion about these two teams that will meet at the Allianz Arena, bows to them or sees them as the pallbearers of true football.
Joshua Kimmich has experienced a similar game in this city before, Manuel Neuer, Leon Goretzka, Alphonso Davies, Sven Ullreich and Jamal Musiala – they have all raised the pot at some point.
For the majority of the FC Bayern team, it is the biggest game of their careers. However, there was little to be seen in the final training session of enormous pressure, of exceeded expectations, of discussions about defense, tactics and the beauty of football.
Kompany’s “inner calm” before the biggest game of his career
The stars trotted exuberantly across the lawn of the training ground at Säbener Straße 51, joking, laughing and fighting. And the young coach Vincent Kompany didn’t want to know anything about the great tension before the biggest game of his coaching career. He spoke of an “inner peace” within himself. “I won’t have any problems getting sleep tonight. I’m not feeling the pressure of the game at all yet.”
Karl, Bishop and Guerreiro return
The personnel situation may also have contributed to the internal relaxation. With Lennart Karl, Tom Bischof and Raphael Guerreiro, there are three players available who missed the first leg injured – even if all three are more likely to be an option from the bench rather than starting in the starting line-up. “Except for Serge (Gnabry, editor’s note) are all fit. That’s the basis, that’s a huge difference from last season, where we were unlucky. Now we are at a moment where the boys still have the energy. This is important.”
You can’t change much anymore anyway. Most of the work has been done, the team is as well adjusted as possible: “I’ve probably seen 35 PSG games in the last few days,” explained Kompany, now it’s just a matter of details: “You’re always looking until the last moment to see what the last sentence can be for the team in order to squeeze out the last percent.”
In the video: This Final training of FC Bayern before Champions League duel with Paris Saint Germain
“I’ve never experienced anything like this before” – Tah about the mood in Munich
Central defender Jonathan Tah will be one of the key players against Paris. In the first leg he conceded five goals against the French, but didn’t want to take a more defensive approach: “Basically, our style of play has gotten us to where we are right now. It makes no sense for us to change anything. We want to play attractive and attacking football. Of course it’s demanding, but that’s the way we play and we won’t change anything.”
The 30-year-old, who always appears with stoic composure, seemed to exceed his coach’s resting heart rate on the day before the second leg: “It’s a big game. It feels big. I’m really looking forward to this game. You’re even more tense and focused,” explained Tah. “But the anticipation outweighs it, especially with the first leg behind us. It will be a lot of fun. It’s important to me not to forget why I started playing football – it’s fun and passion.” And then there is the special atmosphere in the city, which Tah also reported: “When I go for a walk outside with my dog, everyone says to me: ‘Give it full throttle on Wednesday!’ I have the feeling that the whole of Munich is looking forward to it and is ready,” says Tah and then adds: “I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
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Source: BR24Sport May 5, 2026 – 4:30 p.m
