Who will face Arsenal in the 2026 UEFA Champions League final at the Puskás Arena on 30 May? The reigning champions of two major footballing nations, Bayern Munich of Germany and Paris-Saint-Germain of France, clashed in Munich on Wednesday, 6 May to settle that question.
The first leg of the tie was one sure to be remembered by football fans for generations to come. Bayern took the lead in Paris, but PSG soon got into the driver’s seat, pulling away 5–2 at the beginning of the second half. The Germans, however, were able to pull two goals back, thus they get to go into the rematch on their turf with a manageable one-goal deficit.
Either side advance, they will be regarded as the favourite to claim the UCL trophy—Bayern for the seventh time, while PSG for the second time in back-to-back years.
In their respective domestic leagues over the weekend between the UCL semi-final ties, both teams drew their games. That was a lot less consequential for Bayern, finishing 3–3 with bottom-of-the-league Heidenheim, since they have already secured the Bundesliga title. PSG, however, are six points clear of RC Lens with three more games to go after drawing mid-table Lorient.
The game could not have started better for the defending champs from Paris. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia whizzed past the high-pressing Dayot Upamecano in the third minute, dribbled into the Bayern penalty box, and delivered a low cross to the far post that Ousmane Dembélé fired into the roof of the net. Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal now had the not-too-flattering statistic of letting in all six shots that hit his target in the tie.
The Germans, evidently, did not give up. Their wingers on both flanks, Luis Díaz and Michael Olise, both had chances with some prospects. The most curious event, however, took place in the 31st minute, when Vitinha hit his fellow Portuguese international and PSG teammate João Neves right on the hand raised above his head inside their own box. The third Portuguese involved, referee João Pinheiro, did not give the penalty, and—inexplicably—VAR did not call for a review either.
A few minutes later, Neuer did pull an impressive save after a short-range header from Neves following a cross from a PSG free kick.
Despite Bayern needing two goals to stay alive, it was Paris Saint-Germain that threatened more in the beginning of the second half. Doué and Kvaratskhelia were both denied by Neuer, who started racking up saves for his tally. The Russian goalie Safonov was also tested on the other end, and was able to push away Díaz’s shot from about 15 yards out in the 69th minute.
As the minutes flew by, it was increasingly likely that PSG would have the chance to defend their UCL title in Budapest. Harry Kane made the French sweat a little, after equalizing fro Bayern in the 94th minute. The prolific English goalscorer received a pass from Alphonso Davies into the PSG box, then blasted the ball into the near top corner.
However, it was too little, too late for Munich. The second leg did not bring the goal frenzy we all watched in awe in the first leg, but there was certainly plenty of action and excitement left for the rematch as well.
Paris Saint-Germain advanced 6–5 on aggregate, and can become the first team to defend their Champions League title since Real Madrid in 2018. To achieve that, they will have to face the English club Arsenal at the Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary on 30 May.
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