BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALS! Dembélé goal enough to send PSG through on aggregate | ESPN FC

0:00 It's the French side who advance 6-5 on aggregate.

0:04 For more, let's welcome in, shall we?

0:05 Frank Leurf joins us.

0:06 As does Jurgen Klinsman.

0:09 Fair to say, Craig, the best team won over the two legs.

0:11 I think so.

0:11 Just about.

0:12 I mean, obviously possession was Bayern,

0:14 but it's not we don't we don't judge on on possession alone.

0:17 I think they dominated the uh the first game as well in terms of possession.

0:21 But actually, I felt in Paris they were I don't know what you guys think.

0:25 I felt in Paris Bayern looked more dangerous.

0:27 Although they had a lot of shots.

0:29 You saw the graphic, they did have a lot of strikes.

0:31 Most of them were from an area where it was going

0:33 to be really difficult to score unless there was something special.

0:36 Where in the game in in in Paris,

0:39 it seemed to me that they created better chances.

0:41 And that's a credit to PSG in terms of it

0:43 was more of a defensive display from from them today.

0:46 Uh they of course themselves were dangerous uh going forward.

0:50 The early goal really was a big killer,

0:52 a big killer in terms of the momentum uh for Bayern Munich.

0:56 But yeah, I think you know PSG they're proven themselves to be

1:00 last year you know an amazing end to the season beating into 5-nil

1:05 European champions and they are there to be knocked off their perch

1:08 again until somebody does that they are the best team still in Europe.

1:13 No question.

1:14 Right.

1:15 You know, I think I think Frank was laughing before

1:18 we actually started the show about defending Hallelujah at last.

1:24 And I think that opportunity that we showed that Diaz had where you've got two

1:28 defenders closing them down which means that Diaz

1:32 doesn't have a lot to shoot at.

1:33 That kind of happened all night and they only really made one chance by him

1:37 for me and that was a Musla one that he put way too near the keeper.

1:40 So yeah, I think we got to say that PSG,

1:43 we know how good they can be on the break,

1:45 but tonight they showed us that as a unit

1:48 they can defend because they they had to.

1:50 They were in their own half for long periods,

1:52 but you never get we never got the feeling

1:55 that Bayern were ever ever going to take over this game.

1:58 Uh who's got the window open?

2:00 They sound someone's backing up into somebody's

2:02 backing a garbage truck in our ear here.

2:03 I mean, uh Jurgen, why wasn't this what we saw in the first leg?

2:12 Yeah, I mean it's it's as you guys said, you know, it took a lot of the air out

2:17 of uh the situation with the early goal from Dembele.

2:19 I mean, this was a shocker and I think they Bayern Munich

2:22 did not expect such an early goal from from PJ and then it

2:26 was a defensive uh masterpiece how they kind of defended the entire game

2:32 PSJ and then Frank can talk about that far deeper as a defender.

2:37 um they didn't give them any space.

2:39 I mean, Musala's chance, as you said,

2:41 was probably the the best chance they had until finally

2:45 Harry Kane uh basically equalized the game in the last minute.

2:49 Um but it was uh yeah, it was frustrating.

2:53 It was um something that I think Bayern in that moment

2:57 didn't expect that they run after 2-0 basically deficit.

3:02 And um and yeah, I I I think you know,

3:05 some players did not perform at their best, which is, you know, happens.

3:10 Uh but if you want to get into a Champions League final in the semi-final,

3:14 you need to have almost your entire team,

3:17 all 11 on the field, almost reaching all of them 100 100%.

3:22 And I think they're they were lacking a couple

3:24 of percent in many of the players today.

3:26 Uh Harry Kane did not get into the game at I mean

3:28 they shut him down fantastically to both center backs from from PJ

3:32 but until his last strike there in the last minute you

3:35 you really didn't see him much which is a compliment to P

3:39 and Luis Diaz didn't have the sharpness didn't have the sharpness

3:44 um and uh yeah that's what happens then and then you kind

3:48 of you look at it and say you know what it

3:51 didn't go the way we wanted it and it's highly highly frustrating.

3:55 I think uh a positive note you know

3:57 to the way they swallowed the fact that they was

4:00 not giving a penalty with uh the hand ball

4:03 there because it was a huge discussion point obviously

4:06 but uh they they moved on Bayern Munich they

4:09 didn't complain much about it and and they try

4:12 to get back into the game but you know

4:14 huge huge compliment to Paris Jama for this performance

4:20 Frank

4:21 yeah I was very pleased with the the way

4:23 Paris Jan defended especially Pacu and Malcinos.

4:26 But I want to add Wayne when Zary on the right side substituting Akime injured.

4:35 Um and they did all well and of course we have to add Mendes.

4:39 We all know that he's a fantastic player and finally

4:43 got uh got O in his in his hands because and that was hard on the first leg

4:49 but second leg we didn't see too much Michael.

4:52 is maybe the the turning point and the X factor is

4:56 the fact that O Kane and Luas weren't at their best.

5:01 But I don't want to be too hard on on Bayern Munich.

5:04 There are so many chances their chances they weren't maybe lucky

5:08 or maybe a little bit clumsy but it could have turned the other

5:10 way and they had some chances especially the first half and I'm

5:14 thinking about the t header and and moa a chance and also

5:20 once so it could have been each way either way for me

5:24 and you have to congratulate Munich for their campaign but Paris jama

5:29 is Paris and they know how to deal with games if they

5:33 have to go be offend offensive and also defensive in that game.

5:37 And you have to congratulate of course R Enrique for putting

5:40 the right tactic today again against one of the best team in Europe,

5:44 maybe the best team in Europe, sorry, Bayern Munich seemed to get frustrated.

5:48 I know Jorgen said they moved on from the penalty,

5:50 but as the game went on, which I think by the way

5:54 the referee by the letter of the law got got correct,

5:56 but as the game moved on, it seemed

5:58 that every decision not necessarily uh was going against Bayern,

6:04 but you know, they felt it was going against him.

6:07 you know, even when Kane fell on the ball near the end and and it was handled,

6:10 he gave the free kick correctly to PSG and it just seemed a great

6:14 frustration and I think that was borne out by Joshua Kimich getting booked after

6:18 the final whistle because he was just

6:20 berating the referee and I think that frustration

6:23 in the end just and not necessarily because the referee had a bad game.

6:27 I don't think he did to be honest with you.

6:28 They might have been the odd little foul here or there,

6:30 but I think he got the big decisions.

6:32 Technically, he got them correct,

6:34 but that frustration when you think it's not going your way,

6:36 when you're not getting those little decisions,

6:39 and that's just how it felt in the end for Bayern,

6:41 that they felt every little decision the referee was given was going PSG's way.

6:46 It's interesting, Jurgen, you mentioned yesterday how this is the be

6:48 all and end all really for Bayern's season.

6:51 Frank said, you know, it could in a different day,

6:53 they could have taken those chances if the ball had bounced their way.

6:56 Does that offer up an an excuse for Vincent company in his side?

7:02 I I don't think that they're going to look for any excuse.

7:05 I mean, they're going to be hugely hugely disappointed because they badly

7:08 want to get into the final since it didn't happen last season.

7:12 Um I don't think that they complain too much about,

7:15 you know, what what happened today on the field.

7:16 But it will have an influence on the upcoming months for obviously for the club.

7:21 I mean, they're going to win the German title.

7:23 They're in the German Cup final.

7:24 So they they might win the dubal but um

7:28 the majority of their German players will go to the World

7:31 Cup and this sits deep with them you know

7:34 to lose in the semi-final of the Champions League.

7:36 So to shake that off um kind of psychologically that will take some time.

7:41 Um but yeah there were moments you know where I I mean they could have

7:45 scored they had enough chances as Frank rightfully said so as well but they were

7:50 never really kind of determined and decisive

7:52 enough to finish things off you know do

7:55 you see and and that's also the the master work of Paris Jim because they

8:00 shut down if it's Musala if it's Luis Diaz or if it's O they were

8:04 always with two guys against those guys

8:06 because obviously they know their moves they know

8:08 how they come inside from the out from the outside they come inside and they

8:11 get on their better feet and then they want to finish in a certain way.

8:14 Um because that's that we all know that.

8:16 But but still you got to run after them.

8:19 You got to be on them.

8:20 You got to be one one yard in front of their face,

8:22 you know, and and make sure that they never relax and pull the trigger.

8:26 And this was fantastic for Pier and and there

8:29 you know probably when you kind of look

8:31 at that game in the next couple of days you

8:33 analyze this game you know for Vincent company he will

8:36 realize that his key players you know were not

8:39 at their best just in these 90 minutes today

8:42 they tried they were okay they created okay chances

8:46 but they were not decisive enough when it really mattered.

8:50 Princing company 100% will look on this game and say, you know what,

8:53 I set this team up the right way and the best way I could

8:58 because for the amount of ball they had in and around the final third,

9:02 the amount of ball Diaz had,

9:04 OI had on that side, Kane was giving it away and Miala had that one chance.

9:09 His front four let them down.

9:12 basically let them down because the rest of the team got them enough

9:15 of the ball where they were in positions where they could hurt PSG.

9:20 Yes, PSG defended well,

9:22 but Vincent company can look at this game and say, you know what,

9:25 it's one of those days where the players

9:27 we needed to be at the best just weren't.

9:30 Uh, and it was nothing to do with the tactics or the way he set the team up.

9:34 But those those players, Stevie, they've been they it's hard to be you

9:38 can't really be harsh on them because those players, you know, Diaz, Kane,

9:43 Michael Lisa particularly, uh Miella's come back from uh from injury obviously,

9:49 but those are those other players have been brilliant for Vincent company.

9:53 Absolutely outstanding.

9:54 But on their biggest one of the biggest of evenings

9:57 for them in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final,

10:00 as Jurgen said, Harry Kane couldn't find a way into the game.

10:03 Michael Elise was trying things that have been coming off from all season

10:07 and all and and pretty much last season and when he was, you know,

10:10 he was running into defenders or that pass was either to the wrong person

10:13 or it was behind somebody and you know when he was taking the strike at goal,

10:17 it wasn't even close.

10:18 All the things that they were doing and have been doing that have been

10:21 finding the back of the net and you sat back and went that was brilliant.

10:24 Mhm.

10:25 It wasn't there tonight that first for whatever reason,

10:28 whether it was the pressure from PSG or whether it was just one

10:31 of those nights where the longer it went on and the more frustrated they got.

10:36 Uh Frank, yeah, I just want to add something.

10:39 I'm going to put that on the table.

10:41 I know you three maybe is going to deal with that.

10:43 But it's kind of a theory of conspiracy.

10:45 But when when I saw the the name of the referee

10:48 and his nationality at the beginning of the game, I say I say, "Oh my god,

10:53 the German will will be able to complain about it." And when you see

10:56 Vitinia kicking the hand of Neas on top of having Mendes and and Ramos,

11:02 I say maybe maybe Ufank could have chosen maybe somebody.

11:07 No, but I say that.

11:08 But I can tell you the first thing that I thought

11:11 when I saw the national team of the ref I say

11:13 wow four Portuguese in Paris and German team could be a next

11:18 factor because I remember playing in European cup when I had

11:21 a French when I had a French coach play referee playing

11:24 with Chelsea I say oh good for me I would be able

11:27 to talk to him and don't tell me guys that you

11:30 never had that and you never thought that was a good point.

11:32 I don't say because the ref was perfect but that would give something up.

11:38 We've had just for the Bayern Munich people to complain about Jurgen.

11:46 A word on Lewis Enrique and what he's done at PSG.

11:49 We discussed it yesterday.

11:50 Yesterday last week Dembele was saying if I don't run I don't play.

11:54 And to get that out of a balandor winner

11:56 you've got to take your hat off don't you?

11:57 To what Enrique has done.

12:01 I think it's uh it's huge what Louis Enrique has done the last couple of years.

12:05 It's an amazing uh work that he's done, you know,

12:09 to have this team um committed to do all

12:13 sorts of work and not only going forward, you know,

12:16 with all the qualities that they have and score amazing

12:19 amount of goals and and and have really fun going forward,

12:22 you know, he has them committed to do defensive work like

12:26 like no no other coach maybe has right now in Europe.

12:29 You know what really really impressed me, you know, you thought, okay, you know,

12:32 Bayern Munich um puts him under pressure, you know,

12:35 they're trying to find solutions the usual way,

12:39 but what was really impressed me was they did not even give away any sorts

12:43 of corner kicks or free kicks around the box

12:46 because when your plan A is not working,

12:48 you know, you go to plan B and you may pay hope,

12:50 you know, for a couple of corner kicks.

12:52 You know, you have Ta and you have Uber Manu and you

12:54 have some some guys that can really hurt you on corner kicks.

12:57 They pier did not give away those moments.

13:00 So, so Luis Enrique prepared his team not only for the most

13:04 likely kind of strategy that Bayern Munich comes up with, he

13:08 also prepared them for the plan B of Bayern Munich

13:11 that if they are breaking through with the usual kind of players,

13:15 Oise and and Kane and and Luis Diaz,

13:18 then we are ready also for their plan B with going

13:20 with set pieces with with free kicks and all that stuff.

13:23 And so the work that he's uh he's done is is humongous

13:27 because he has the players buying into a lot a lot of work.

13:31 A lot of work.

13:32 And I mean you can talk about the biggest teams in in in in Europe, you know,

13:36 that's that's the main job of a of a coach that you get everybody

13:40 behind you and and do also the dirty work and he's he's done that.

13:44 And this is outstanding.

13:46 Frank, how it's changed.

13:48 It seems a light years away now of the the Messi Mbappe Neymar days.

13:54 Yes, exactly.

13:55 And it's really amazing to see that team after getting rid of all

13:59 the his stars uh getting result like that and twice in a row

14:04 getting the Champions League final and as you mentioned and as you

14:08 were talking about it with Jorgen the commitment of every players is 100%.

14:13 You see people on the bench being with the guys.

14:16 They they get out and we saw Dembele and DU

14:18 on the bench with Fabian Ris being with the guys on the field,

14:23 you know, supporting them.

14:24 Uh and you feel the the unity of that team.

14:28 You feel the the hard work that they put on every training

14:31 session and uh and uh and what you get out of it.

14:34 And it's really amazing the way they play.

14:37 Of course, they're talented players,

14:38 but today they show that after that 54 that everybody say it's a game

14:42 of the century offensively perfect that they

14:45 capable of defending in front of 80,000 people.

14:49 Crazy atmosphere and they were there and as soon as they have a chance

14:53 with players like Velia and of course

14:55 Dembele that first goal is absolutely fantastic.

14:59 That team has no weakness and I don't see any weakness right now.

15:04 We'll see against the Gunners because it's going to be a final.

15:06 It's going to be totally different.

15:08 It's a final, but really they are the favorites for me.

15:11 I don't see them losing, but it's a final.

15:14 We'll talk about the final a little later on.

15:16 You look at some of the players that stood out

15:17 over those two legs and come out scalier, of course.

15:20 It's just so much fun to watch.

15:21 Liverpool bound.

15:22 Well, yes, according to yourself, I believe.

15:26 Listen, he'd walk into he'd walk he'd walk into any team.

15:29 I mean, and it's it's scary to think he was actually out the PSG team.

15:33 Y when they played actually when they played Liverpool

15:36 uh in one of the previous rounds uh he

15:40 he doesn't look the quickest but but he but he has got a good turn of pace.

15:44 It's the way that he drops the shoulders.

15:47 He's just he's got the he's got great movement and Michael Le is

15:49 kind of similar in a sense that he throws these dummies as well that

15:53 send send some of the fullbacks for for a cup of tea.

15:56 And he's got this as well.

15:57 So he he he stood up when it's been been needed.

15:59 He's a brilliant player.

16:01 He's got end product his game.

16:02 He can run with the ball.

16:04 He's a great dribbler.

16:05 As I say, throws a great dummy in there.

16:07 It's very difficult for a one-on-one defender to defend against him.

16:10 And he works hard.

16:12 Mhm.

16:12 And that's the common theme with this Lewis

16:13 Enrique side is is is supremely talented,

16:17 but it is uh aligned with the work rate and that is

16:23 that's got the signs and that's the making of of a great side.

16:27 And they're not always a big physical powerful side.

16:29 You got Po and Makinos are big lads.

16:31 But you look at Foutinho, you look at Xiao Neas.

16:34 Cavis Kelly is not the biggie.

16:35 Dwi is not huge.

16:37 Dembelelli is not big.

16:38 They're not a huge Nuno Mendes, the fullback.

16:41 He's not neither's Hakeime.

16:42 They're not a huge physical team,

16:45 but they're they're they're a strong side and they can mix it in that department

16:49 with with most and they will have to do

16:51 that with Arsenal who are a big physical side.

16:53 But they are brilliant to watch and they and one thing is clear,

16:58 they respect their manager and they want to play for him.