Paris was eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday March 8 after losing to Bayern Munich (2-0). Cameroonian international Maxim Choupo-Moting scored the game's first goal...

Champions League: PSG takes the door, Bayern Munich in the quarters

Cameroonian international Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting after his goal against PSG, March 8, 2023. AFP - ODD ANDERSEN

Text by: Farid Achache Follow

3 mins

Paris was eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday March 8 after losing to Bayern Munich (2-0).

Cameroonian international Maxim Choupo-Moting scored the game's first goal and Serge Gnabry doubled the lead.

No other scenario possible, tonight at the Allianz Arena, Paris had to win by at least two goals to overcome the defeat of the first leg (1-0) and above all not to stop once again in eighth, like a year ago against Real Madrid.

Already eliminated from the Coupe de France by Marseille, PSG, in the event of defeat, would only have a 12th Ligue 1 title to conquer.

Nothing that could not satisfy the Qatari owners, obsessed with the Champions League since their arrival in 2011.

Vitinha misses the mark

If Paris is very close to opening the scoring in the 38th minute with the strike of the Portuguese Vitinha towards an empty goal, after a ball lost by the German goalkeeper, saved by De Ligt in front of the line, the teammates of Kylian Mbappé return to the locker room without having scored a goal.

However, the capital club pushes from the start of the meeting, with Mbappé placing a shot on target.

And Paris can count on its goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, not worried about a strong shot from the left foot of Jamal Musiala (32nd).

The Italian had already shown himself solid in the 16th minute when Leon Goretzka struck with a right foot from 20 yards out.

At the start of the second half, Paris was hot in the buttocks when Bayern believed they had opened the scoring, but the goal was disallowed for offside by Thomas Muller (52nd).

But after an undeniable domination of the Germans, Bayern finds the fault after a loss of the ball from Verratti.

Goretzka inherits it and crosses for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, alone in front of goal, who propels the ball deep with a flat right foot (61st).

The Cameroonian international, a former Parisian, has become an indisputable starter at Bayern.

In the first leg, it was also a former Parisian, Kingsley Coman, who opened the scoring… At the end of the game, on a counter, Serge Gnabry drove the point home (89th).

Considered the two best players in the world, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi failed to find the fault for PSG in a Munich defense very well in place, the young Croatian Josip Stanisic fulfilled his mission.

It was PSG's Spanish central defender Sergio Ramos who created the best free-kick opportunities.

With this new failure, criticism should rain.

While Paris is also embarrassed by Achraf Hakimi's indictment for rape, the end of the "bling-bling" era promised by President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi is not yet in the news.

Kylian Mbappé's first "big-eared cup", silent tonight, will not be for 2023, he who lost the C1 final in 2020 against... Bayern.

AC Milan in the quarters

In the other meeting of the day, AC Milan qualified for the quarter-finals at the expense of Tottenham by drawing a match (0-0) in London, three weeks after their victory in the first leg in Italy (1 -0).

The Milanese failed to score despite their numerical superiority after the exclusion of Romero (78th), but took advantage of their advantage acquired in the first leg to join their first quarter of C1 since 2012.

Champions League: PSG takes the door, Bayern Munich in the quarters

Champions League: PSG takes the door, Bayern Munich in the quarters

Vitinha misses the mark

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