Bayern Munich produced a brilliant performance on Wednesday to beat Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and knock them out of the Champions League in the round of 16. Paris Saint-Germain’s dream of lifting the Champions League remains just that. Bayern Munich forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored a second-half goal against his former club and a late strike from Serge Gnabry secured a 2-0 second-leg win for Julian Naglesmann’s side, helping the Germans to reach the quarter-finals off the back of a 3-0 aggregate victory over the Ligue 1 leaders.
The French side came into the match trailing 1-0 on aggregate from the first leg and without the injured Neymar. The Brazilian star player was ruled out for the remainder of the season as he needs surgery for an ankle injury sustained against Lille on February 19. PSG’s star defender Marquinhos also left the field in the first half due to an injury.
Both sides played well and had chances in the opening 45 minutes of the game, with Lionel Messi having two shots blocked from close range before the half-hour and PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma did well to go his right and low to save Jamal Musiala’s well-hit shot shortly after. Munich’s centre-back Matthijs de Ligt made an excellent save in the first half for his side shortly before the break.
The hosts looked to dominate their opponent and Choupo-Moting had a goal ruled out for offside early in the second half. But again, it was the 33-year-old forward who broke the deadlock in the 61st minute to give his side a 1-0 lead. Marco Verratti was dispossessed in his own box and Thomas Muller poked the ball away from him and played it to Leon Goretzka, who squared it to his teammate to tap it past Donnarumma.
Munich keeper Yann Sommer produced a pair of saves late in the second half. Gnarby added the second of the night in the 89th minute on a ruthless counter-attack.
Joshua Kimmich recovered the ball for Bayern Munich and got it to substitute Joao Cancelo. Cancelo threaded a lovely pass up to fellow substitute Gnabry who carried the ball into the box before chipping it over the Donnarumma to win the game.
PSG have now been eliminated from the Champions League in five of their last seven appearances, while Bayern extended their home unbeaten streak to 24 matches and will play the quarterfinals for the 11th time in their last 12 chances in Europe’s premier club competition.
