Bayern Munich continued their impressive winning streak with their 2-1 win at the Parc De Princes yesterday, a win that means they’ve now won 16 of 16 matches they’ve played this season, further extending the record in European football history. A brace from the eventually Red-Carded Luis Diaz in the first half was enough to seal the win even after Joao Neves pulled one back in the second half.
Luis Enrique started Warren Zaire-Emery in place of Joao Neves and Bradley Barcola in the absence of the injured Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele also started the match for the French side. Vincent Kompany started the usual eleven, Kane up top flanked by Luis Diaz and Michael Olise on the left and right wings and Serge Gnabry in the 10/SS role.
The clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes was less a tactical chess match and more a high-octane rollercoaster, characterized by Bayern’s clinical first-half blitz, defensive calamity from the hosts, and a moment of chaotic individual brilliance and recklessness. The match was a story of two distinct halves of football, driven entirely by a single, catastrophic individual action.
Bayern came out of the blocks with intent, capitalizing on PSG’s defensive instability just four minutes into the contest. Following a high press that disrupted the hosts’ build-up, Michael Olise broke into space and unleashed a shot. Although PSG keeper Lucas Chevalier made the initial parry, Luis Díaz was perfectly positioned to smash home the rebound, registering the opening goal and immediately putting the Champions League holders under pressure.
PSG attempted to recover their composure, and in the 22nd minute, they thought they had found a response. Ousmane Dembélé chested a cross from Fabián Ruiz into the net, sparking celebrations that were swiftly cut short as the goal was quickly ruled out for offside after a VAR review. The hosts’ night went from bad to worse in the 25th minute when the injured Ousmane Dembélé was forced into an early substitution, replaced by Lee Kang-In. This disruption further hindered PSG’s ability to find any rhythm.
Bayern continued to pile on the pressure and Serge Gnabry came agonizingly close to scoring, hitting the inside of the post with a shot following a slick attacking sequence, a near miss that could and probably should have doubled Bayern’s lead.
Delay was however not denial, because in the 32nd minute, Luis Díaz completed his incredible first-half brace with his second goal. The Colombian showcased sheer determination and opportunism, pressing PSG captain Marquinhos just outside the box, stealing the ball from the defender’s feet, driving into the area, and finishing clinically past Chevalier. It was a catastrophic individual error for Marquinhos and a display of clinical finishing from Díaz.
The match’s definitive moment arrived deep into first-half stoppage time. In a moment of madness that wiped clean the slate of his two brilliant goals, Luis Díaz committed a reckless, two-footed lunge on PSG’s Achraf Hakimi. Initially shown a yellow card, the referee was called to the VAR monitor and, following a review, upgraded the challenge to a red card. Díaz was sent off, reducing Bayern to ten men and forcing the substitution of the injured Achraf Hakimi in the 6th minute of extra time, who was replaced by Senny Mayulu.
The half-time whistle confirmed Bayern’s 0-2 lead, but the narrative had completely flipped: a man down, Bayern faced an arduous 45 minutes against the European champions.
Bayern’s manager Vincent Kompany reacted immediately with a tactical Substitution at the restart, bringing on Tom Bischof for the attacking Serge Gnabry to reinforce the midfield structure. The second half became a battle of wills: PSG’s overwhelming possession against Bayern’s disciplined defensive block. The tactical shift was quickly reflected in the cautions, with Bischof receiving a Yellow Card in the 47th minute for a foul, and captain Manuel Neuer earning a Yellow Card 2 minutes later for delaying the game, a clear strategy by the shorthanded visitors.
As the half progressed, PSG’s dominance in possession began to translate into chances. In the 66th minute, Luis Enrique made a double substitution, introducing fresh threats by bringing on João Neves and Gonçalo Ramos for Fabián Ruiz and Bradley Barcola.
The hosts pushed hard, forcing Manuel Neuer into action. In the 69th minute, Neuer made a big save to deny Lee Kang-In’s strong shot from outside the box. However, the German wall finally cracked in the 74th minute. Substitute João Neves connected with a cross from Lee Kang-In to score a spectacular goal for 2-1, reducing the deficit and injecting desperate hope into the Parc des Princes.
The final quarter of an hour saw desperate PSG attempts and heroic Bayern defending. In the 77th minute, Warren Zaïre-Emery found space for a shot, only for Neuer to pull off a crucial save in the centre of the goal, proving his enduring value to the team. Bayern responded with their own defensive substitution in the 81st minute, bringing on Min-jae Kim for Michael Olise. The tension spilled over in the 84th minute, resulting in yellow cards for PSG’s Nuno Mendes and Bayern’s Josip Stanišić following a confrontation.
Bayern brought on Leon Goretzka for striker Harry Kane in the 88th minute to reinforce the central midfield and protect the lead. Deep into stoppage time, PSG desperately chased the equalizer, Gonçalo Ramos headed a cross wide and, in the dying seconds, Marquinhos saw his close-range shot blocked by Dayot Upamecano. Bayern’s 10 men held firm until the final whistle, securing a monumental 2-1 victory, cementing their perfect record in the league phase.
