Champions League Drama: Paris Edge Out Bayern; Chelsea Cruise Past Porto

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Champions League brings out the best in all of the clubs participating in the competition.

However, not everyone can outshine their opponents.

Paris Triumph In Munich

The current defending Champions of the competitions, Bayern Munich, suffered a shocking loss at their 2019/20 final opponents, Paris Saint Germain.

The whole world tuned in to witness how two of the world’s greatest teams face each other.

It was Bayern Munich against PSG.

Paris fielded their strongest lineup while Bayern went out without their main man, Lewandowski.

The away side took the game’s lead in the 3rd minute after Kylian Mbappe put the ball into the net through Neuer’s legs.

Bayern started pressing and improving their game after the first goal, but their hopes for a comeback suffered after conceding another goal via Marquinhos.

Marquinhos, who is a CB, scored past Neuer in a way a center-forward would.

The hosts got a lifeline in the form of Choupo-Moting. The striker, who replaced Lewandowski, headed the ball past Navas from a cross by Benjamin Pavard.

The half ended with Bayern trailing by 2-1 goal. The hosts were looking to make a comeback in the next half.

Their road to comeback started right off the bat in the second half. They dominated their opponents in such a way that the world had never seen.

PSG only had a total of 6 shots on goal while Bayern hit 31. Among them, only 5 of Paris were on target and Bayern a total of 12.

If it weren’t for the heroics and athleticism of Keylor Navas, PSG would’ve trailed by more than 5 goals.

The Costarican goalkeeper showed the world why he is still one of the best despite his old age.

What Bayern missed was a pair of shooting boots.

Thomas Mueller equalized for the German side on the 60th minute. The game looked like a sure-shot win for Bayern, but they couldn’t contain the French side’s counter.

Kylian Mbappe, the world’s most sought-after youngster, scored his 2nd goal of the game in the 68th minute and gave his side a shocking lead heading into the next leg.

This victory will prove quite vital towards the PSG players’ confidence as they look to regain their dominance in this competition.

With this win and them holding a slight advantage in the 2nd leg, PSG looks to bounce back from the defeat in this competition’s finals last season.

Chelsea Holds Their Own

Thomas Tuchel and his Blues showed exactly why they should be feared in European competitions.

Despite suffering a trashing against West Brom, Chelsea stepped up their game and played like true Champions.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, both of the quarter-finals legs have been scheduled in Seville.

Porto was chosen as the home side in the first leg, and as a result, Chelsea knew that they needed a good performance if they want to move forward in the competition.

Chelsea started with their usual 3-4-2-1 formation while Porto changed their formation mid-way to a 4-5-1.

Mason Mount, who missed the last UEFA Champions League match due to suspension, returned to the starting lineup and showed the world exactly why he is the number 1 player for England and Chelsea.

Porto started the game with intensity and dominated. Despite having more shots on target than Chelsea, they failed to get past the Blues’ strong defense.

The returning Mount opened up the score with a beautiful turn via a pass from Jorginho. Blues took the lead heading into the first half.

The Portuguese side pressured more and showed more resilience, but the partnership of Rudiger, Christensen, and Azpilicueta with Mendy behind them was hard to beat.

Chelsea put the nail in the coffin in the 85th minute after Ben Chilwell made a “Fernando Torress Move” from the 2012 Semi-Final against Barcelona.

Chilwell's Goal
Chilwell with the legendary “Fernando Torress” style goal. (Source: ChelseaFC)

The left-back went past Porto’s goalkeeper and sent the ball through the net.

Chelsea now holds a 2-0 aggregate win and will capitalize on this in the 2nd leg, which will take place on the 14th of April in Seville.

Lewandowski’s Absence Causes Struggle

Robert Lewandowski is currently suffering from a knee injury. The Polish striker has strained a ligament in his knee and is reported to be out for four weeks.

Robert suffered the injury during one of his international matches. This is one of the reasons why fans tend to hate “International Breaks” mid-seasons.

Lewandowski is currently the world’s best striker and is one of the main performers for Bayern Munich.

Apart from Robert, Bayern doesn’t have any good, high-quality striker. The only available option as a striker is Choupo-Moting.

Despite returning to training, Lewandowski’s injury still rules him out for the 2nd leg against PSG.

Bayern will definitely miss his clinical finishes and goals, which they are in desperate need of.

Aaditya Bhatta
Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta is a dynamic writer and sports enthusiast, whose passion for both realms is reflected in his work. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, Aaditya brings a unique perspective to his writing, captivating readers with his engaging content.

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