- Bayern Munich hosted PSG in the UEFA Champions League in the second leg of the round-of-16
- Bayern headed into the match with a 1-0 advantage in the aggregate after winning in Paris
- Goals from Eric Maxim Chuope-Moting and Serge Gnabry sealed the tie for the Germans
Bayern Munich advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 2-0 victory over PSG, giving them a 3-0 aggregate victory. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting continued to haunt his old team.
Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry scored in the second half of the second game on Wednesday, advancing Julian Nagelsmann’s team to the round of eight for the fourth consecutive year.
However, in the first half at the Allianz Arena, Bayern were grateful to Matthijs de Ligt for his outstanding goal-line clearing that stopped Vitinha.
PSG missed the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the second straight year due to De Ligt’s last-second intercession, Choupo-cool Moting’s finish, and a breakaway Gnabry goal.
In a lacklustre first half, PSG produced more promising opportunities in an effort to overcome a one-goal first-leg disadvantage.
After Nuno Mendes’ offload, Alphonso Davies made a last-ditch stop to keep Lionel Messi from scoring, and Jamal Musiala forced a deft Gianluigi Donnarumma to save at the other end.
Soon after, PSG’s skipper Marquinhos appeared to suffer a hip injury, and De Ligt then successfully cleared Vitinha’s shot off the line after Yann Sommer’s puzzling mistake provided an open goal.
Bayern Munich players celebrate after striker Eric Maxim Chuopo-Moting scored the opener against PSG in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16. | PHOTO: Forbes |
After the break, Choupo-Moting headed past Donnarumma, but Thomas Muller’s offside position prevented the goal from standing and the attacker was unstoppable.
Before Leon Goretzka’s selfless square pass gave Choupo-Moting an easy tap-in in the 61st minute, Muller dispossessed Marco Verratti inside PSG’s half.
After Sommer made an incredible save from Sergio Ramos’ powerful shot, Joao Cancelo set up Serge Gnabry, who secured the win with a cool-headed goal in the 89th minute.
Familiar PSG troubles in the Champions League
Coach Mauricio Pochettino was fired as a result of PSG’s inability to advance past the last 16 of the Champions League, where they fell to eventual champions Real Madrid in a thrilling match.
Christophe Galtier’s team leads Ligue 1 by eight points, but the Frenchman might meet a comparable end after PSG again failed to win the elusive European championship.
Galtier may be hoping for some leniency, though, given that Bayern was outclassed by PSG and that team has only been ousted twice in its previous 23 first-leg victories in Champions League matches.
Messi made to wait
After Iker Casillas (176) and Cristiano Ronaldo (178), Messi is now just the third player to start 150 Champions League games, but the World Cup champion will find little solace in that accomplishment.
The Argentine international will have to wait to pass 50 goals in Champions League knockout matches and will stay one goal away from reaching 800 career goals.
On Saturday, PSG travels to Brest in Ligue 1, and Bayern returns to Bundesliga play at home against Augsburg.
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