Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) battled past visitor Bayern Munich 5-4 in a pulsating Champions League semifinal first leg on Tuesday that had a record number of goals at this stage of the competition.
In a match that will go down as an instant classic, PSG came from a goal down to lead 5-2 with two goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele before Bayern struck twice in three minutes just before the hour to improve its chances for next week’s return leg in Munich.
The match pitted the most attacking Champions League teams of the season against each other and it quickly lived up to its billing with a relentless pace and with Bayern coach Vincent Kompany in the stands, serving out a suspension, and his assistant Aaron Danks in the dugout.
Harry Kane converted a 17th-minute penalty to beat PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov, and become the first English player to net in six successive Champions League fixtures. The England captain then delivered a well-timed pass for Michael Olise but his close-range shot was cleared off the line.
The host should have levelled when Dembele broke through but his finish flew well wide in the 23rd minute. Kvaratskhelia did it much better with a trademark move and a low shot after cutting into the box.
Bayern hit the post following a solo run by Olise and his deflected pass but it was PSG which scored again in the 33rd with Joao Neves’ glancing header.
There was plenty of drama left in the first half with Olise making amends for his earlier miss and drawing Bayern level with a 41st-minute shot after being given far too much space around the box.
PSG was then awarded a stoppage-time penalty and Dembele powered his spot kick past Manuel Neuer to put his side back in front.
PSG picked up where it left off after half-time and carved out a two-goal lead when Kvaratskhelia drilled in a 56th-minute effort and before Bayern had any time to recover, the French side struck again, this time Dembele beating Neuer once more with a low drive off the post two minutes later.
The host looked to be running away with the game but Bayern refused to buckle and matched it with two goals of its own in a three-minute span from Dayot Upamecano and Luis Diaz to greatly improve its chances for the return leg in Munich.
PSG’s Senny Mayulu rattled the woodwork in the 86th minute as both sides kept up the frenetic pace until the final whistle.
Published on Apr 29, 2026