Sense of emptiness after 1-1 against PSG but FCB still looking forward with pride

And right at the end, there was a huge sense of emptiness. How this stadium had been rocking; what a breathtaking atmosphere had prevailed throughout those 90 minutes of the semi-final second leg, with the Südkurve resplendent in red. And now, after 90 minutes plus stoppage time, there was no huge red-and-white explosion of relief, no all-encompassing joy at reaching the Champions League final. No. What prevailed at first was bitter disappointment.

“Tough,” said an exhausted Konrad Laimer, with sweat pouring down his forehead: “It’s always tough when you’re knocked out in a game like this.” And coach Vincent Kompany said: “Of course it’s a bitter pill to swallow now; we’ve lost, and it was close – very close – in both games. We have to acknowledge we were up against formidable opponents.”

It feels wrong and far too soon

What magnificent European nights this team had given its fans, treating them to thrilling victories such as the incredible 10–1 win over Atalanta, or both triumphs – in the Spanish capital and at home against the mighty Real Madrid. And, yes, there had even been a 2–1 win in Paris against PSG during the league phase. This Champions League campaign was now set to end against the very same opponents – following a 5-4 defeat at the Parc des Princes and this 1–1 draw in Munich. It felt wrong for everyone who follows FC Bayern. Too soon. To have fallen so close to the finish line – for a moment, all that remained was a sense of emptiness.

But then the first few fans began taking their red-and-white scarves from around their necks and holding them defiantly aloft. And little by little, their numbers grew – hundreds, then thousands. A sea of red and white scarves that now comforted them all – the players as well as the fans. And they sang “Immer vorwärts, FC Bayern” (“Forever forward, FC Bayern”), even – or perhaps especially – at that very moment when it seemed as though no-one was going anywhere any time soon.

Not a brilliant, but a good starting position

FC Bayern had already basically been out of the competition for seven minutes in Paris a week earlier: they were trailing 5-2, but then, thanks to their tremendous determination and their vociferous fans, the team managed to carve out not an outstanding, but a good position going forward: 5-4. One goal. It didn’t just seem possible; it seemed almost within reach. PSG knew just how much of a chance it was back in Paris: all the beaming faces, all the joy of their earlier lead had vanished from their faces the moment the final whistle blew. They knew they would have to go through footballing hell in the second leg in Munich.

A cauldron of red

And that's exactly what awaited them: a massive cauldron of red, a Südkurve that was already in full voice and rocking an hour before kick-off, spurring their team on. And PSG? They were somehow prepared for it, knew what was coming – and on this May evening had the most important thing of all: that decisive stroke of luck that fell right at their feet. After just two minutes and nineteen seconds, Ousmane Dembélé fired the ball into the Bayern net to make it 1-0 to the visitors, turning everything Bayern had set out to do on its head. An early deficit instead of a home lead, Parisian self-assurance instead of uncertainty, concentration instead of confusion, control instead of chaos.

“It was a very intense match,” admitted Luis Enrique, the visitors' coach: “Today, our defence was better than our attack. The character we showed against such a strong team as FC Bayern was magnificent.” By the time FC Bayern had regained their composure, the PSG defence was well settled and looking solid. Unlike in the first leg, this wasn’t an end-to-end affair with non-stop attacking play – because this time PSG focused on securing the space in front of their own goal with the utmost discipline and, whenever possible, slowing the game down so Bayern lost their usual rhythm – or never really managed to find it.

“Lacked that killer instinct up front today”

“I think we lacked that killer instinct up front today,” admitted Manuel Neuer, the Bayern captain. “The stadium was on it, we were on it, but I don’t think we were sharp enough in the PSG box.”

The French side’s game plan paid off – the record-breaking front line of Luis Díaz, Harry Kane and Michael Olise rarely managed to create chances or even come close to penetrating the areas deep in front of the visitors’ goal where they had previously set up and scored so many goals. The lack of luck and threat increasingly took its toll on the players, but also on the crowd, who soon sensed that this PSG side were a cut above all the other opponents they'd faced this season in the cup, the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Admittedly, PSG also created chances from this deep, at times even destructive passivity – oddly, the visitors actually looked more dangerous from far less promising positions, simply because Bayern were forced to defend higher up the pitch than the French side due to being behind. Fortunately, Manuel Neuer made several exceptional saves, whilst the Bayern defence, particularly in defensive midfield, thwarted a huge number of counter-attacks. “We have to acknowledge we were up against formidable opponents,” said Kompany.

Added to this was a whole host of decisions by the referee that only became clear at second glance, and in some cases only at third glance – and a few where, even at fourth glance, one searched in vain for an explanation. The Bayern coach was also frustrated by this: “Of course, that refereeing decision in Paris still hurts, because in the end you lose because of one goal.” Two alleged handballs in particular had caused discontent, as they could have changed the course of the game – through a penalty or an early sending-off.

“We always got our moments, but we lacked that final punch. Over two legs, it’s a one-goal tie against a very good side. It all comes down to the little things,” said Laimer.

As the match wore on, however, not only did hopes of reaching the final slip through their fingers like sand, but their energy also began to wane. Just when no one was expecting it anymore, Harry Kane managed to get the sought-after equaliser in stoppage time – too late to pull the rug out from under a Paris side whose early lead had cemented their position, and to ignite a massive wave of energy and momentum together with the crowd. The ground, however, did briefly give way beneath all those who so passionately follow FC Bayern when the final whistle blew: out of the competition! What remained, for the time being, was an endless sense of emptiness.

There’s always the cup

And then the first fans took off their scarves and simply started singing, expressing their pride in the team and in this unique club. This painful semi-final exit – that was the key message after the final whistle – did not signal the end of the season. On 23 May, there's still the DFB Cup to be won in Berlin. It would still be a thrilling conclusion to what, despite all the disappointment, has been an incredible season for a more than impressive team and their fans.

Post-match reaction to the clash with PSG: