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While a match-up between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain would almost certainly be most neutrals’ Bigger Cup final of choice, the major benefit of these two European heavyweights meeting in the semi-finals is that we get to watch them do it all again next week. While Football Daily has occasionally felt first-world resentment at being forced to sit through no end of turgid footballing dross masquerading as top-tier, top-flight entertainment this season, last night we felt genuinely sorry for any football fans who couldn’t enjoy the otherworldly treat served up in Paris. For many in the UK, the cost of watching Europe’s elite is an unaffordable luxury when they’re already struggling to put light in the bulb and food on the table. And while Pep Guardiola’s budget almost certainly stretches to an Amazon Prime subscription, last night the Manchester City boss took an ill-advised punt on Stockport County and Port Vale providing more bang for his buck at Edgeley Park.
The 5-4 thriller at Parc des Princes has been hailed as a breathless and quite brilliant generational classic and was perhaps unique among matches in that the six different players comprising the front three of both teams delivered virtuoso performances straight out of the top drawer. Michael Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz all scored for Bayern to bring up a combined total of 100 goals for the season for the trio, while Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia piled the pain on a visiting defence that conceded five goals despite not actually doing a great deal wrong. “I’m putting it out there – is that the best game of football we’ve ever seen? Ever seen?” asked punditry’s Ally McCoist in a social media disgrace post not long after the game. “What about the quality of the goals? What about the quality of the pass from Harry Kane, the touch from Luis Díaz. I was lucky enough to be at the World Cup final: Argentina v France. I think that beats it. I think what we’ve seen tonight beats it.”
