KYLIAN MBAPPE struck twice against Bayern Munich as Paris Saint-Germain avenged last year’s heartbreak in a Champions League epic.
In a repeat of the final eight months ago, the German giants and reigning champions were 2-0 down inside 30 minutes as the Parisians smelt blood.
Neymar – who was in tears on the pitch in Lisbon – was the first leg orchestrator, providing assists for Mbappe and Marquinhos.
Bayern fought their way back either side of the break in the absence of 42-goal Robert Lewandowski thanks to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Thomas Muller.
But French superstar Mbappe had the last laugh with a 68th-minute winner for Mauricio Pochettino’s men at a snowy Allianz.
Positive Covid-19 tests and injuries pre-match wreaked havoc on both squads, and concerns over Neymar’s discipline lingered after receiving a Ligue 1 red card at the weekend.
But Neymar set about tormenting the red of Bayern from the off, and teed up Mbappe for a third-minute goal after a lightning-quick counter attack.
Mbappe’s shot was straight at Manuel Neuer who somehow parried the ball between his own legs and into the bottom corner – the striker’s eighth European goal in eight games.
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Another speedy break saw PSG score again through Julian Draxler only to be ruled out for offside as Bayern were then denied an equaliser by several Keylor Navas stops.
And they were punished in the 28th minute with more sloppy play as Neymar’s lofted ball over the Bayern defence after a cleared corner found Marquinhos onside to slot past Neuer.
Marquinhos was then forced off straight after with a groin injury, while Bayern also made two changes before the break with Jerome Boateng and Alphonso Davies coming on.
The switches paid off for Bayern as Choupo-Moting made up for earlier misses with a clinical header from Benjamin Pavard’s cross.
Bayern continued to be erratic at the back after the break, and Neymar wasted a golden opportunity before Muller headed home in the 60th minute from Joshua Kimmich’s delivery.
PSG were hanging on, but a hat-trick of assists from Neymar allowed Mbappe, 22, to break Thierry Henry’s Champions League knock-out stage goalscoring record with a career-13th.
Bayern ended the game with 31 shots and 12 on target, but PSG’s four on target proved enough.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
