Arsenal be warned as PSG offer reminder of why they are the continent’s best team – proving they can defend as well as dazzle in downing Bayern Munich, writes CRAIG HOPE

They used their defend after one early swoosh of the sword, a reminder that Paris Saint-Germain can defend and deny in addition to dazzle and destroy. It was a efficiency of maturity, a efficiency of European champions, final season’s and most probably this.

For less than the second time this marketing campaign, Bayern Munich had been restricted to only one objective on the Allianz Area. That was as a result of Luis Enrique’s good guests didn’t permit them any extra, and solely within the final minute of injury-time did Harry Kane hearth a belated reply when two had been wanted to drive extra-time. It was not a lifeline, actually, extra a distant echo of the heart beat that had throbbed so furiously through the first leg. This was entertaining, however by no means prone to stay as much as the great absurdity of that 5-4 riot.

However to be crushed by this PSG staff is not any supply of disgrace, Bayern ought to take pleasure from their half in two absorbing ties. In the long run, although, we had the worthy victors. Arsenal, who await within the ultimate, might want to catch the Parisians on an off day. Good luck ready for a kind of to return round.

Right here, PSG had been most undoubtedly on. They scored within the third minute by Ousmane Dembele and, after the spectacle of final week, right here we had take-off, one other match from one other world. Or so we thought. Fairly, PSG absorbed Bayern’s response, spirited and never with out high quality, however the hosts couldn’t discover a method by till it was too late. Far too late. PSG’s midfield of Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves had been too good, their defence too sturdy. Kane didn’t have a shot on track till his objective. The 2 he dispatched earlier had been blocked earlier than they’d travelled barely a yard.

This stadium was the scene of PSG’s biggest evening final Might, a 5-0 demolition of Inter as they lifted their first Champions League trophy. That felt like the beginning of a brand new period of domination. This was a really totally different show, however that feeling of superiority remained.

Captain Marquinhos, the chief of the unit who shackled Bayern’s frontline, mentioned: ‘Tonight we confirmed that we additionally know easy methods to defend, easy methods to battle like loopy!’

Ousmane Dembele scored inside three minutes to provide PSG a two objective cushion within the tie

PSG proved they’ll defend as they restricted Bayern Munich from goalscoring possibilities

Harry Kane pulled one again for Bayern in stoppage time nevertheless it proved too late for the hosts

It’s disrespectful to Arsenal, and they’re going to take motivation from the notion, however this felt just like the de facto ultimate. This was the match, the sequel, for which we had waited eight days too many. To be right here in Bavaria this week has been to really feel that child-like anticipation within the days earlier than a birthday. That’s what the primary leg in Paris did to us all when it unfolded in a blur of brilliance.

And but, within the ultimate 20 minutes on the Parc des Princes, after the final of the 9 targets had been scored, there was not the drama of what had gone earlier than. It was, in actuality, approaching half-time, the gladiators had been reducing their blades. They got here out swinging when the cage doorways opened right here, and PSG wanted simply 144 seconds to land the blow that may show deadly for Bayern.

The thunderclaps which started crackling at tea-time had served as nature’s countdown to kick off. The downpour with it slickened and quickened the enjoying floor, and on that did PSG minimize by Bayern with an unforgiving tempo and precision. Dembele utilized the end, first time into the roof of the web, however the objective belonged as a lot to its creators, Fabian Ruiz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. They swapped passes on midway, Ruiz’s ball to free his team-mate measured to perfection. The identical couldn’t be mentioned of Vincent Kompany’s outsized lounge pants. The Bayern head coach’s outfit was loud nevertheless it didn’t scream latter levels Champions League – Kvaratskhelia’s run and cross and Dembele’s ruthless end did.

Come half-time, Bayern had labored a handful of possibilities however the ultimate execution was missing. Maybe that was as a result of none of them fell to Kane. The Germans thought they need to have had a penalty when Vitinha’s clearance struck the arm of Joao Neves, however the guidelines had been utilized appropriately – enjoying the ball towards a team-mate’s hand in such a circumstance isn’t a penalty. The house plenty, their indignant faces a color match for his or her jerseys, clearly didn’t have a rulebook handy. They had been quickly throwing beer at Dembele as he tried to take a nook. A lighter, handed to the referee, additionally shaped a part of the missile strike.

In reality, Bayern’s hopes had been already up in smoke. On the evening, PSG had been simply too good. You believe you studied we’ll be saying the identical in Budapest.