Mbappe can't save PSG as Bayern neutralizes Messi and Neymar

PARIS — Not even Kylian Mbappe's substitute appearance could end Paris Saint-Germain's slump, as it lost 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich on Tuesday in the first leg of their round-of-16 Champions League clash.

A third straight loss made it five defeats in 11 games this year for PSG coach Christophe Galtier's team.

Bayern winger Kingsley Coman volleyed home inside the penalty area from Alphonso Davies' left-wing cross in the 53rd minute.

The Paris-raised Coman, who PSG sold to Juventus when he was 18, held his hands up to show he wasn't celebrating scoring against his former club — again.

"It's the city where I was born and raised so it was difficult to celebrate here," Coman said. "Given our performance we could have done more, but at the end it was a bit difficult so we're satisfied with the win."

When Bayern won the last of its six Champions League titles in 2020, it beat PSG 1-0 with Coman heading home the winner.

The World Cup superstar Mbappe made an unexpectedly quick recovery from injury and had two would-be goals disallowed for offside after coming on in the second half.

"It was difficult, unpredictable. I wasn't supposed to play but I wanted to play and help my mates. We did everything, we worked night and day to get me some game time," Mbappe said. "I wanted to (start the game). But sometimes you have to be satisfied with what you can do, and that's all I could do."

The return leg is on March 8.

PSG was eliminated by Real Madrid in the last 16 last season and may need Mbappe at his best to avoid another early exit.

"When we have our players ready and we can play our attacking game, they (Bayern) are not comfortable," Mbappe said. "We have to retain how we finished the game. We saw that we can cause them problems."

Mbappe showed no ill effects of the thigh tear he sustained two weeks ago.

He had a shot saved by Yann Sommer in the 73rd after racing through down the left. Sommer saved Neymar's follow-up and the ball fell to Mbappe near the line, but he was well offside.

Mbappe peeled away in delight after volleying Nuno Mendes' cross from close range with 10 minutes left, but it was chalked off following a quick video review.

"That's the new soccer, there's VAR. If it's offside, it's offside, you just have to switch quickly," Mbappe said. "The important thing is to go over there and qualify, and from what I saw that's possible."

Bayern's defense held firm under some late pressure, although defender Benjamin Pavard received a second yellow card was sent off for a late tackle on Lionel Messi in stoppage time.

Bayern immediately generated pressure from the start against a nervous-looking PSG by closing down high up the field. PSG hadn't lost three straight games since late 2011, which was only months into the new reign of Qatari owners QSI.

"Bayern really got on top of us and we struggled to hold the ball high up the pitch. The first half was very difficult for us," Galtier said. "I knew we could use Kylian in the second half, but unfortunately we conceded this goal just before I was going to bring him on."

The dominance of Julian Nagelsmann's team in midfield was so complete that it forced Messi to drop deep to get the ball, and Neymar was anonymous for most of the match.

"We were a bit surprised by how much of the ball we had. We didn't expect Paris to be so passive; it was a good first half," Nagelsmann said. "The two times they really threatened it was offside."

Galtier sees hope

PSG coach Galtier said he was hopeful his side could still qualify for the quarterfinals.

"It might seem a banal thing to say but tonight nobody is through and nobody is out. I am daring to hope that we will be fresher in three weeks and if we can play the way we played in the last 25 to 30 minutes then we can beat Bayern," said Galtier.

"The return leg will be in three weeks so we can hopefully get more players back for then and be fresher," added Galtier, who had to contend with Morocco right-back Achraf Hakimi coming off hurt at half-time.

"We can't say how long he will be out. Achraf had an intense World Cup where he played on through the pain and it was already difficult at Monaco (a 3-1 defeat on Saturday) where he couldn't start," he said.

"We took the risk this time but he developed a muscle problem early on. Unfortunately we conceded just as we were preparing for Kylian to come on. We had two or three chances and sadly it was not enough but the last half an hour gives us hope."

Agencies