Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Serge Gnabry were on target as Bayern Munich advanced to the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Messi for two seasons in a row has failed to lead PSG past the second round of the competition.
Bayern won in Paris three weeks earlier, but were made to sweat in the first half at the Allianz Arena. Kylian Mbappe had already tested Yann Sommer when he put the ball in the net, only to be called back for fouling the Bayern goalkeeper in the build-up. Mbappe fired into the side netting soon after, before a superb triple block from Alphonso Davies, Matthijs de Ligt and finally Sommer prevented Lionel Messi from levelling the tie. That sparked a reaction of sorts from Bayern as Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich warmed the palms of Gianluigi Donnarumma, but they were indebted to de Ligt for being level on the night at the break. After a mistake in possession by Sommer, the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month nominee made a sublime goal-line clearance to thwart Vitinha.
The frenetic action continued into the second half as Davies got in the way of Mbappe’s goal-bound shot. Bayern responded in kind as Choupo-Moting was fended off by Danilo, before having a goal ruled out for an offside decision against Thomas Müller. The ex-PSG striker made it a case of third time lucky just past the hour, though, tapping in Leon Goretzka’s pass after Müller had dispossessed Marco Verratti to give Bayern daylight. Sommer preserved the Bundesliga leaders’ two-goal aggregate cushion with a sensational one-handed save from Sergio Ramos, who headed a golden chance off target in the closing stages. Substitutes Joao Cancelo and Serge Gnabry combined to put the result beyond any doubt, while Sadio Mane had a third effort chalked off as Julian Nagelsmann’s team marched into the quarter-final draw, their 100 percent winning record in this season’s competition intact.
