Champions League: PSG and Bayern Munich deliver the final we craved a year later – The Warm-Up
Updated 14/04/2021 at 08:08 GMT
The Champions League holders are out after PSG beat Bayern Munich on away goals in what was a memorable quarter-final, while Chelsea are through to the semi-finals for the first time in seven years. There’s also the most cynical of red cards, possibly of all time, and Noah Solskjaer getting in on the Son-son chat.
WEDNESDAY’S BIG STORIES
PSG, Bayern, great
Were you not entertained? You were? Good. That is good to hear.
Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain served up 180 minutes of unforgettable football this past week or so.
In what was a repeat of the 2020 final that was worthy of being the final this time around, this was proof that Champions League encounters can deliver that little bit extra when the silverware is that little bit further from one’s grasp.
Okay that wasn’t the case for Chelsea-Porto, see below, but when heavyweights collide it’s arguably better they face one another in the stages before the final when it comes to Spectacle™.
Boy did Neymar deliver, a handy turn of phrase given he took a liking to the post, and while it was in fact Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting with the only goal of the night, PSG held on to advance on away goals and knock the holders out.
And so, with a swish, and a Flick, Hansi could well be gone. It is seemingly the end of a very short era which promised much after the Bayern boss’ ratio of a trophy every single-digit-of-games.
It looks to be over this summer amid a Bayern power struggle and the lure of replacing Joachim Low as the next Germany manager, with Lothar Matthäus confirming as much on Tuesday night.
At PSG, meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino's first half-season in charge is entering a fascinating climax. Behind in Ligue 1 and with a possible semi-final against Manchester City to come, it could either end spectacularly for the former Spurs boss or turn into a couple of months to forget.
We can't wait to find out either way, because that semi-final with City, if it comes to fruition, is another pre-final treat to look tuck into - all two, tasty, legs.
Don’t count out Chelsea
Oh for a look at the television viewing figures, for even Chelsea and Porto fans would have been tempted to switch over to the other Champions League game last night.
It’s hard to describe this one. Tepid. Turgid. Forgetful. Dull.
And yet. And. Yet. It somehow produced one of the best goals of this year’s tournament. Off his shin? So what. How about that from Mehdi Taremi.
But anyway, what really matters is that Chelsea have a Champions League semi-final to look forward to, after they face Manchester City in the FA Cup semis this weekend and then continue their battle for the top four in the Premier League...
Who saw this coming when Frank Lampard was knocking about? No hands up, here.
Norn march into Euro 2022
It was a historic night for Northern Ireland as their national women’s side reached Euro 2022 – their first ever major tournament – after beating Ukraine in the play-offs.
A 4-1 win on aggregate did the job, sparking some jubilant scenes, and one of the most memorable red cards of all time after Ukraine defender Natiya Pantsulaya opted for the cynical foul to end all cynical fouls.
IN OTHER NEWS
Ole’s son enters Son chat
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's son eats. Phew. After a war of words between the Manchester United boss and his Tottenham counterpart Jose Mourinho about Son Heung-Min bizarrely led to the topic of fatherhood, young 20-year-old Noah reassured us he’s had his cornflakes.
"I always get fed, I can assure you of that," Noah Solskjaer told local Norwegian newspaper Tidens Krav.
"I have never lain down the way Son did. Mourinho probably just wanted to take the focus away from the fact they had lost," he added.
Lain. Nice.
RETRO CORNER
For our Scottish friends north of the border, we’ll toast James McFadden’s 38th birthday by remembering his stunner against France in … *checks notes* … oh-dear-lord-are-we-that-old-already … 2007!
HAT-TIP
The Warm-Up could share his work every week, but this is especially brilliant.
David Squires on … how a streaker tried to end the great Alexander-Arnold Wars – of course!
COMING UP
It’s another double delight in the Champions League this evening, with Liverpool looking to overhaul a 3-1 deficit against Real Madrid at Anfield, while Manchester City take their 2-1 lead to Borussia Dortmund. Follow both right here on Eurosport.
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