History was created in Paris as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in the first leg of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League semi-final on Tuesday, becoming the highest-scoring semi-final match in the competition’s history.
The nine-goal clash at the Parc des Princes on April 28, 2026, set a new record for a single leg of a Champions League semi-final, eclipsing the previous mark of seven goals set in a 1960 European Cup tie between Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt. “This is the first instance of any knockout match in either the Champions League ending 5-4 after full time,” reports noted.
Bayern took the lead in the 17th minute when Harry Kane converted a penalty, becoming the first Englishman to score across six consecutive Champions League matches. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia equalised for PSG in the 24th minute, cutting inside before finishing beyond Manuel Neuer. Joao Neves then headed the hosts in front in the 33rd minute at an enthralled Parc des Princes. Michael Olise made it 2-2 in the 41st minute, but a Dembele penalty in first-half stoppage time had the reigning champions back ahead at the interval.
Kvaratskhelia and Dembele both scored again in the 56th and 58th minutes to give PSG a 5-2 lead. Bayern refused to fold, with Dayot Upamecano pulling one back in the 65th minute before Luis Diaz made it 5-4 in the 68th. “An unforgettable game — perhaps better even than last season’s semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona — leaves the tie between the continent’s two best teams of the moment wonderfully poised for next Wednesday’s return at the Allianz Arena,” reports said.
The match marked the first time both PSG and Bayern have scored four or more goals in a European semi-final match. It was also the first time two teams had scored 40-plus goals in a Champions League campaign, with PSG on 43 and Bayern on 42.
Overall, this is the joint second-highest number of goals in a single leg of a UEFA Champions League knockout match after Bayern’s 8-2 win over Barcelona in the 2020 quarterfinal. If five goals are scored in the second leg on May 6, 2026, it will become the highest-scoring two-legged knockout tie in Champions League history.
The encounter also completed a unique statistical milestone for the rivalry. With their current semi-final meeting, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have now faced each other in every possible round of the UEFA Champions League over the last six years, excluding play-offs. “This rare feat highlights the consistency of both clubs at the highest level of international football,” reports said. The fixture history since 2019 spans the 2019/20 Final, the 2020/21 quarter-finals, the 2022/23 round of 16, and group stage meetings in 2024/25 and 2025/26.
PSG coach Luis Enrique said the club is hungry for more after winning the Champions League last season. “The first run was a relief, now it’s a different source of motivation because last year was great. We made history. And now, we’re hungry for more,” he said. He added that PSG would not change their attacking approach despite Bayern’s threat. “Of course they have to defend as well, but we know that they have to attack more than they defend if we want to win.”
Kane’s penalty saw him match Robert Lewandowski’s club record of netting in five straight Champions League knockout games. For PSG, Kvaratskhelia and Dembele each scored twice, with Neves adding the fifth.
The second leg will be played at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 6, 2026, with a place in the final in Budapest on May 30 at stake.
