Just before 11pm in Eindhoven, as the league phase of the 2025/26 Champions League campaign was drawing to an end, you could see nothing but happy faces at FC Bayern. Jamal Musiala was beaming after his comeback in the starting XI and his opening goal, goalkeeper Jonas Urbig was beaming after a very strong performance, which saw him initiate a goal and bag the Man of the Match award against PSV, and Harry Kane was beaming after scoring the winner in the 2-1 victory.
“Still a bit early for grand statements”
"It's still a bit too early to make any grand statements," said coach Vincent Kompany, "but we did well in this first phase! " Board member for sport Max Eberl was also overjoyed with the more than confident progression to the round of 16 after the seventh win in the eighth league phase match and second place in the table. In the knockout stage, it means FC Bayern will have home advantage in every return leg and won't meet table-toppers Arsenal again until the final at the earliest.
Much-emphasised reaction worked
Even the much talked about reaction a few days after the first Bundesliga defeat had worked: "The way the team reacted after the defeat against Augsburg, even with the resistance we faced in today's match, conceding the 1-1, then reacting again. That shows the character of this team," said Eberl, happily smiling too.
PSV, who battled hard to avoid elimination with a lot of commitment and attacking pressure as well as vociferous fans in the Philips Stadion, matched FC Bayern for more than a half. The hosts, under the guidance of Peter Bosz, boldly attacked Bayern's goal, pressed early against Bayern's build-up play and also defended well for long periods. As a result, the Dutch league leaders and champions were threatening to take the lead. However, former Bayern player Ivan Perišić, who repeatedly caught the eye, and striker Ismael Saibari in particular were denied by Jonas Urbig, who was in brilliant form. Manuel Neuer was on the bench as he had been against Augsburg.
Youngest starting XI since 2015
FCB striker Harry Kane also only witnessed the kick-off from the bench for the first time in an FC Bayern Champions League match. The result was the record champions' youngest starting XI since the game against Dinamo Zagreb in September 2015, with an average age of 24 years and 337 days. There was also a very special comeback in Eindhoven: Jamal Musiala returned to the starting XI for the first time since the Club World Cup quarter-final against PSG last July.
After a goalless first half, in which only Tom Bischof's crossbar-rattling free-kick posed an attacking threat for Bayern for long spells, Urbig kept the score at 0-0 on six occasions with some very impressive saves. In a competitive match under Vincent Kompany, the only time Bayern had previously allowed so many shots on target in the first half was in the cup at Köln. It was only the second time in the Champions League since 2003/04, after a game against Ajax in December 2004.
"No-one's expecting miracles from him"
So it was all the more surprising that Bayern were the side who then took the lead: The impressive Tom Bischof picked out Lennart Karl with a long pass after winning possession and played a double one-two with Musiala, who then drilled the ball under the crossbar to make it 1-0 (58'). "No-one's expecting miracles from him and I still think he had a very, very good game today after such a long time," said Max Eberl: "and getting the reward with the goal, I think, is a very, very nice story." It was only the visitors' third attempt on target and Musiala's first goal in Europe since 5 March - also against Eindhoven goalkeeper Matej Kovar (then still at Leverkusen).
Like the volume control on a stereo system
The goal abruptly turned down the decibel level of the home fans like the volume control on a stereo system, and PSV were briefly robbed of all their courage and passion by going behind. Substitutes Michael Olise, Sacha Boey and Kane worked on goal number two in the gaps that had now opened up - but this time it was Eindhoven who scored out of nowhere: Saibari's unmarked lucky strike sailed into the corner of the Bayern goal, unstoppable even for Urbig, to make it 1-1.
Last word goes to the record champions
But the German record champions had the last word. Urbig launched a huge clearance forward for Luis Díaz, whose cross into the path of the onrushing Kane was smashed into the Eindhoven net by the England captain to make it 2-1. It was his 27th Champions League goal for FC Bayern. "I'm happy because I know how difficult these games are and I'm also very happy with our reaction after the last defeat," reflected Kompany.
In the evening, the team celebrated a well-deserved, but hard-fought victory, which left behind an overjoyed Munich side who had amassed a whopping 10:4 shots on goal in the second half: "Above all, I'm happy to be back on the pitch. My focus is now on the next game, to keep raising my level," said Jamal Musiala. And the Man of the Match, goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, was delighted: "Whether it's against a strong team like PSG or Chelsea - we can hold our own and win games. But we also battle for the second balls like we did today. That's what characterises us, that we're so versatile and we're looking forward to the upcoming opponents." The plan is to be just as successful against them in the knockout stage from 10/11 March - "and I hope," concluded club boss Dreesen at the banquet, "that we'll have many more of these knockout games."
Reaction to the game at PSV:
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