Paris Saint-Germain won their ticket to a new Champions League final after a tough fight against Bayern Munich. Eight days after a spectacular (5-4) at the Parc des Princes, Luis Enrique’s men confirmed their superiority in the electric atmosphere of the Allianz Arena. Picked cold from the 3rd minute by an opener from Ousmane DembĂ©lĂ©, perfectly served after an acceleration from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the Bavarians immediately saw the scenario turn into a nightmare. With a two-goal lead over the two matches, Paris displayed a surprisingly mature face, aggressive in recovery, disciplined in its withdrawals and capable of resisting long sequences of German domination. Warren Zaire-Emery, repositioned to compensate for the absence of Achraf Hakimi, delivered a very high level performance, while Marquinhos and Pacho muzzled Harry Kane for a large part of the match. Despite several heated situations and extremely contested refereeing decisions, notably on Parisian hands in the area, PSG held on thanks to an imperial Safonov and an incandescent Kvaratskhelia in his ball handling.
In the second half, Bayern pushed with the energy of desperation, multiplying offensive waves in front of an increasingly cornered Parisian defense. But neither Kane, nor Olise, nor Diaz managed to realize Munich’s many opportunities. Conversely, Paris could even have definitively killed the match against, notably by DĂ©sirĂ© DouĂ© and Kvaratskhelia, both stopped by a heroic Manuel Neuer. Faithful to his pragmatism, Luis Enrique then closed the game in the last quarter of an hour, accepting to suffer to preserve the essentials. Harry Kane’s late goal in added time threw a chill and offered an unbreathable end to the match, but the reigning European Champions resisted until the end (1-1). Paris will thus play a new Champions League final against Arsenal, with the ambition of retaining its European crown and entering a little further into the history of continental football.
Law enforcement overwhelmed by events
But while the Parisian players validated their historic qualification on the Bavarian pitch, several sectors of the capital descended into a much more chaotic evening. If numerous scenes of popular jubilation enlivened the streets of Paris, between songs, flags and festive gatherings around the Parc des Princes and the Champs-Élysées, the night was also marked by strong tensions and several excesses. In the 16th arrondissement, individuals attempted to enter a Carrefour City located on rue Michel-Ange before being repelled. Around the Parc des Princes, sporadic clashes broke out between hostile groups and the police. Fireworks, projectiles and tear gas fired part of the evening in an atmosphere that became extremely tense. According to several police sources, trash fires have also been reported in different districts of the capital, particularly in the Champs-Élysées sector where tensions have spread to several adjacent streets.
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The situation also degenerated around the Paris ring road, where groups of supporters attempted to force access and invade certain traffic lanes. BRAV-M units intervened to disperse the gatherings while several fireworks were fired at the police. Two people were reportedly injured in the hands after mortar explosions. In several thoroughfares, overturned trash cans, improvised barricades and fires left behind a particularly heavy late-night scene. Despite these incidents, the authorities emphasize that most of the capital remained relatively calm and that the majority of Parisian supporters celebrated the qualification in a festive atmosphere and without excesses. But these scenes of violence and tension once again tarnish a night which should above all be that of a huge popular celebration for French football.
