Image: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT (APA/AFP/ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT)
PARIS. Kingsley Coman once again – born and raised in Paris, Bayern’s French legionnaire fired the Munich side to a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 in his hometown. “This is my home, I was born in Paris. I didn’t want to celebrate, but I’m very happy about the game,” said the French team player, who also scored the only goal in the 2020 Champions League final against PSG.
In the 75th minute, the 26-year-old left the field and gave his jersey to a ball boy. “I got a bit of a calf problem and a hit in the ankle,” Coman said on Amazon Prime Video. “But I hope it only lasts a few days.”
Goalkeeper Yann Sommer also received praise after his first Champions League appearance for Bayern. “That’s what characterizes a goalkeeper at Bayern Munich, that you don’t get so much to do, but when you’re needed, you’re there,” said Bayern’s CEO Oliver Kahn about the 34-year-old. “Of course it’s a gift as a goalkeeper when the people in front defend like that,” Sommer immediately passed on the praise. His best action was a header against Kylian Mbappe, who ran freely towards him. That kept the good starting position before the home game on March 8th. Trainer Julian Nagelsmann: “The first step has been taken, we want to take the second step.”
Mbappe nourishes hope
It was the fifth defeat in the eleventh competitive game of the year for the Parisians. For the second time in a row, the Champions League threatens to end in the round of 16. “This defeat can change the look of the season for the Parisians, who now have a reprieve in the Champions League, are as good as eliminated and are in the middle of a period of reflection internally,” wrote the daily Le Parisien.
Mbappe was confident for the second leg in Munich. “We have to get up in the last part of the game. We were behind but we saw that we could cause them problems,” explained the 24-year-old. Last struck, he only came onto the field in the 54th minute. “I wasn’t supposed to play, but I wanted to help my colleagues, wanted to bring energy. We tried everything, that’s all I could do.”
PSG coach Christophe Galtier explained that Mbappe’s substitution was a “risk”. He took the result relatively calmly immediately after the final whistle. “Today no one was eliminated and no one progressed.”
Source: Nachrichten
