What we're covering
• A wild match finishes 5-4 to PSG: It was absolutely mad in the French capital. Two goals from PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé and one from João Neves were enough to see off Bayern Munich in the first leg of this Champions League semifinal.
• Bayern’s wild charge: A Harry Kane goal from the penalty spot opened the scoring and Michael Olise added a first-half tally. The Bavarians fell behind by three goals but got back in the tie with second-half goals from Dayot Upamecano and Luis Díaz.
• French giant looking to repeat as Bayern aims for treble: Les Parisiens are looking to be the second team to ever defend the Champions League in its current modern format. Meanwhile, Bayern is looking for a treble after already clinching the Bundesliga (German league) and making the German Cup final.
• Cobertura en directo en español: sigue toda nuestra cobertura de las semifinales de la Liga de Campeones en CNN en Español.
A record-breaking match to remember, for all the right reasons
As has been said multiple times already tonight, this was a match that will be remembered for years to come.
It’s so rare to see two heavyweights attack like that, throwing caution to the wind and letting their best players do what they do best.
Ultimately, PSG will be slightly happier with that 5-4 result, taking what could be a crucial one-goal advantage into the second leg in Munich.
In truth, though, it could have been even better for Les Parisiens. Despite going a goal down early in the first half, the host rallied to lead 5-2 before even an hour had been played.
A three-goal lead, you’d expect, would have probably seen Luis Enrique’s side through to another Champions League final, but PSG left the door open and Bayern came bursting through.
Those two late goals from Bayern set up a tantalizing tie for the second leg, with both teams likely confident they can progress.
There will be questions, though, about how both managers set up in the return fixture – with perhaps a little more focus on defensive responsibilities.
But if nothing else, today’s semifinal was a reminder of how beautiful the sport can be. Both teams possess so much attacking talent that it would have been a waste to not show it.
It’s the type of game that gets a new generation hooked on soccer, albeit not one that will please those purists who care more about control – though tomorrow’s fixture between Atlético Madrid and Arsenal will likely tilt far more in that direction.
Ousmane Dembélé says PSG "won't change our philosophy"
Ousmane Dembélé was named Player of the Match after his two goals in the tie and was happy with his side’s performance despite nearly throwing away a 5-2 lead.
The forward has predicted the return leg will see much of the same – great news for the neutral.
“It was two teams that seek to attack that don’t question themselves. It’s the semifinals of the Champions League. We know Bayern are a top team, and us too. We’re happy with the result,” he told French outlet Canal+.
"Two of the top teams going toe-to-toe," says Bayern striker Harry Kane
Bayern talisman Harry Kane scored from the penalty spot tonight but was involved in a lot of his team’s other goals today.
He spoke to Amazon Prime after the match to give his thoughts on a wild night of action.
“I think you saw two high-level teams out there today, especially in the attack and in the transition,” he said. “The speed, intensity in the 1v1 battles. Yeah, two of the top teams going toe-to-toe”
“Look, you’ve got the best players in the world going at it, the best attackers, the best defenders. Of course, sometimes the attackers are going to come out on top and show their quality.”
A record-breaking night of action
It’s perhaps unsurprising, but that was the highest scoring Champions League semifinal in the tournament’s history.
Nine goals and pure attacking soccer.
Don’t let the haters tell you about the “bad defending” – this is what the sport should be about.
Full-time whistle blown on an instant classic in Paris
The full-time whistle has blown and that marks the end of an absolute beauty of a match. This will live on in Champions League lore as one of those games you just had to watch – imagine if you were in the Parc des Princes!
Even as a Bayern player or fan, you are probably happy with the 5-4 end result as the team heads back to Munich and its Bavarian fortress: the Allianz Arena.
As a PSG player or supporter, while you did just win the game, surely there is a twinge of worry there as you had Bayern down and out, but it rose back up like Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 4.
We are set for a dramatic 90 minutes in Germany.
PSG hits the woodwork after flowing move
PSG’s Vitinha breaks through and plays a delicate ball into the path of 19-year-old Senny Mayulu.
The substitute looks up and sends a shot crashing against the post from a tight angle.
That could have been a huge goal for PSG. Less than five minutes left in this amazing first leg.
Just imagine if we had the away goals rule still — even more chaos
One relic of Champions Leagues past is the away goals rule.
What was the away goals rule? It was essentially created as an incentive to force visiting teams to play more attacking soccer by giving the goals they scored away from home more weight.
For example, if Real Madrid scored three goals in an away leg and lost 4-3, the team could go back to the Santiago Bernabéu and know that any one-goal win up to 3-2 would send it through to the next round and not extra-time, despite the fact both teams scored the same amount of goals across both legs.
While it was eventually removed, it was one of those odd eccentricities of the game that have vanished. PSG is probably very grateful it has been scrapped.
If it were still around, even if Bayern keeps it to a 5-4 loss, any one-goal win (1-0, 2-1, 3-2, etc.) would send it through in the return leg in Munich.
I’m kind of glad it’s gone because these two teams seem destined to just keep slugging it out like Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward and might have been inclined to not do so if this fun quirk of the past were still around.
A night to fall in love with soccer
Amid this flurry of goal posts, it’s important not to forget just how insane this semifinal is as darkness falls over the City of Light.
It’s so rare nowadays to see two big teams going at each other like this. It’s just careless abandon which is making it so fantastic to watch.
The quality, as well, is so high. The goals have been wonderful and we still have over 15 minutes left to enjoy.
Soak up every minute.
Goal! Bayern gets another back, 5-4!
Luis Díaz has the ball in the back of the net. But is it a goal? It was initially given offside, but it’s been overturned by VAR!
Díaz does so well to finish, but it’s all about the pass from Harry Kane. The Englishman drops deep and then sends a perfectly weighted pass over the defense for his teammate to latch onto.
Incredible goal in an incredible game.
Goal! Bayern claws one back to make it 5-3
Well, just when it looked like it was over, Bayern scores to close the gap slightly.
Joshua Kimmich lobs a fantastic free kick into the box and Dayot Upamecano slightly glides it home with his head to make it 5-3.
Bayern can’t do it for real, can they? Surely not. Then again, this game has been anything but ordinary.
Bayern manager Vincent Kompany can only watch
The cameras have just panned to Bayern manager Vincent Kompany in the stands.
Remember that the Belgian is banned from the touchline or communicating with his team during this game after picking up a suspension in the quarterfinals.
He didn’t look very happy just then and can you blame him? His team has been run ragged at the start of this second half.
Goal! PSG bags its fifth
Is this tie over?
PSG goes on the break with Désiré Doué giving it to Ousmane Dembélé on the left side of the box.
Dembélé cuts in and his shot kisses the post to rebound into the net and score his second of the night.
5-2 to the home team and it’s not looking good for Bayern.
Goal! Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gives PSG 4-2 lead
Here we go again.
There is simply so much space behind the Bayern defense and PSG takes full advantage.
Achraf Hakimi gets in behind and is in miles of space. The PSG fullback steadies himself and drills a cross into the box.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia meets it with a wonderful strike to score his second of the match.
Even the defenders are getting in on the attack
You can tell a game is good when you see Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano running down the right wing at full pace, busting a gut to get into the opposition box.
Even the defenders aren’t defending anymore.
Back and forth stuff still, but it's yet to erupt again
The match has certainly slowed a bit from what was a chaotic goalfest in the opening half.
Both teams still going at each other though and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has gone down in the Bayern area asking for a penalty. But replays show the Georgian had kicked the defender himself, so the referee doesn’t give it.
You can still see the elements bubbling there for a continuation of that first half, like a delicious bouillabaisse taking its time to reach peak delight. Plenty of time left as Bayern was just left with a half decent play in the 54th minute that was kicked away.
The second half has kicked off in Paris
I don’t know how that first half can be improved upon as a neutral, but we all certainly hope the teams keep it up in this second half as the ball is kicked and we’re off for the final 45 minutes (or so) of this incredible match.
What a refreshingly chaotic half of soccer
This is simply how soccer is meant to be played.
Despite the stakes being so high for each side, both sets of players have taken the opportunity to express themselves in the best way possible, attacking with such unfiltered exuberance.
It’s been like a basketball game, with attack after attack after attack.
Much was made of the battle in midfield before the match, given the quality that both teams possess in the middle of the park, but the ball has barely spent any time there.
Both midfields are moving the ball forward so quickly, transitioning from defense to attack in the blink of an eye.
Let’s just hope both managers decide to keep the game open for the second half.
Fun fact: It’s the first time that five goals have been scored in the first half of a Champions League semifinal.
The halftime whistle blows in a wild match in the City of Light
Wow, what a first half in Paris.
The referee has blown his whistle for halftime and it’s been an absolute classic so far. Penalties, stunning goals, back-and-forth flowing play and a tad bit of controversy – this is what the “Beautiful Game” is all about.
If these 45 minutes are anything to go by, the rest of this tie will be sensational.
Do yourself a favor: Use the bathroom, go make yourself a snack and get ready for more incredible action after the break.
Goal! Ousmane Dembélé scores to give PSG the lead, 3-2
Ousmane Dembélé steps up and makes no mistake.
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer guesses the right way, but there is too much power on the shot.
PSG back ahead before halftime.
Penalty to PSG!
A huge chance for PSG to take the lead again.
Alphonso Davies is the guilty man after the ball hits his hand in the box. He didn’t know much about it but VAR overrules the referee’s decision.
Bit harsh, that.
