Late Bayern pressure not enough as PSG return to Champions League final

At a glance

  • Ousmane Dembele extends PSG's aggregate lead with thunderous finish in third minute

  • Harry Kane scores in stoppage time but Bayern unable to overturn 5-4 deficit from first leg

  • PSG will now face Arsenal in the final in Budapest on 30 May

  • PLAYER RATER

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Paris St-Germain set up a Champions League final against Arsenal as they overcame Bayern Munich to stay on course to retain their crown.

The semi-final second leg was not a classic like the first encounter in Paris, which saw Luis Enrique's holders take a 5-4 advantage to Munich's Allianz Arena.

Harry Kane scored his 55th goal of the season for Bayern deep into stoppage time, but it could not provide any consolation on a night of bitter disappointment for Vincent Kompany's side.

It was almost impossible to repeat the stunning standards of the first leg, but this was still a game of high quality and opportunities.

And PSG took their first chance after only three minutes when Georgian genius Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's brilliant run and cross set up Ousmane Dembele for a thumping finish.

In an electric atmosphere, Bayern tried to force their way back into the tie, but Kane was mostly kept at arm's length and the hosts were frustrated.

Bayern were convinced they should have had a first-half penalty when Vitinha rifled a clearance against Joao Neves' arm inside the box, but the laws state a spot-kick cannot be given if the ball has been played by a team-mate.

PSG created the better opportunities after the break, with Desire Doue coming close on several occasions, but Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer formed a formidable barrier.

Bayern pressed tirelessly, with Kane striking superbly late on, but could not recover the deficit and PSG will now meet Arsenal in Budapest on Saturday, 30 May.

PSG analysis: Luis Enrique has built complete package

Why it's 'almost impossible' to play against Kvaratskhelia

With manager Luis Enrique leading PSG to a second successive Champions League final, it continues the emergence and development of one of the outstanding sides of recent years.

PSG flourished brilliantly in the second half of last season to beat the Premier League elite of Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal before the historic 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the final.

In the same Allianz Arena where Inter were so decisively dismissed last season, PSG held Bayern at bay with maturity and a mix of attacking brilliance and superb defending.

PSG's early goal was a hammer blow to Bayern and a perfect example of the lethal threat they possess, with Kvaratskhelia and Dembele combining to deadly effect.

They were dangerous throughout, particularly in the shape of Doue and Kvaratskhelia, but huge credit must go to PSG in the defensive context too, with veteran Marquinhos marshalling the backline magnificently.

And with the promptings of Vitinha in midfield keeping PSG ticking over, Luis Enrique has built the complete package and a huge threat to Arsenal's hopes of winning their first Champions League.

Did PSG 'get away' with handball decisions?

Bayern Munich analysis: Heartbreak for Kane and Kompany

Bayern's superb supporters mostly stayed in place after the final whistle to acclaim their team after a gallant but fruitless effort to dislodge PSG from their Champions League perch.

There was no disguising, however, the pained expression on the faces of a Bayern side that had given everything but, like every other in the last 12 months, come up short against the Parisians in Europe.

Until his sweet late strike on the turn offered the briefest of hope to Bayern, Kane had been well marshalled by PSG's defence and was largely a peripheral figure.

Bayern can console themselves with another Bundesliga title, but had high hopes of progressing to another Champions League final by chasing down that one-goal deficit.

In the end PSG, once more, had too much in a two-legged semi-final that was a credit to both sides and both coaches - Luis Enrique and Bayern boss Kompany.

Player of the match

K. Kvaratskhelia
8.07
1 M. Neuer
7.22
9 H. Kane
6.79
14 L. Díaz
6.72
10 J. Musiala
6.32
17 M. Olise
6.13
6 J. Kimmich
6.03
27 K. Laimer
5.84
19 A. Davies
5.83
2 D. Upamecano
5.71
44 J. Stanišić
5.71
45 A. Pavlović
5.64
4 J. Tah
5.64
42 L. Karl
5.27
3 Kim Min-Jae
5.27
11 N. Jackson
4.62
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