Key Takeaways
- Joshua Kimmich remains confident Bayern can overturn the 5-4 deficit against PSG in Munich.
- The German midfielder criticised the handball rule after Alphonso Davies conceded a controversial penalty.
- Bayern showed fighting spirit to reduce the deficit from 5-2, giving hope for the second leg.
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich has expressed strong belief that his team can still advance to the Champions League final, even after suffering a narrow 5-4 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their semi-final clash.
The Germany international admitted the result felt odd. He explained that despite losing by one goal, he sensed opportunity while sitting in the dressing room after the match. Kimmich shared these thoughts with Prime Video during a post-match interview.
The match featured a disputed penalty decision just before the break. The referee pointed to the spot after the ball made contact with Alphonso Davies’ arm inside the box. Ousmane Dembélé stepped up and scored, putting PSG ahead 3-2 at that stage.
Kimmich stated he had not watched the incident again. However, he questioned the current handball regulations. He suggested that football authorities should change the rules so that not every contact between hand and ball in the penalty area results in a spot-kick.
Bayern found themselves in deep trouble when they fell 5-2 behind during the match. Yet the Bundesliga giants displayed tremendous courage to score twice more and close the gap. This fighting spirit gives Kimmich hope for the return fixture at the Allianz Arena next week.
The 28-year-old noted that his team produced an excellent response after going three goals down. He added that nobody on the pitch felt Bayern were actually inferior to PSG by three goals.
The mission ahead is straightforward. Bayern must secure victory in the second leg to book their place in the final. Kimmich insists this is achievable.
He acknowledged that the first leg loss was unfortunate. Nevertheless, he feels the tie remains open. The midfielder concluded that Bayern will give everything to win the return match and complete the comeback.