PSG on verge of Champions League disaster: What must Luis Enrique’s men do after loss at Bayern Munich?

Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League hopes hang by a thread after a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday left Luis Enrique’s men mired in an elimination battle with just three games remaining in the league phase. Kim Min-jae’s first-half header was enough to beat the Ligue 1 giants at Allianz Arena despite Ousmane Dembele’s second-half dismissal and it was perhaps a harsh result on Les Parisiens given their performance.

However, playing well without the goals and thus points to show for it remains the recurring theme with PSG in the UCL these past couple of seasons and now the situation is arguably more critical than it ever has been. Matvey Safonov was preferred to Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal and started with a brilliant save to deny Jamal Musiala as part of a strong overall display aside from one brutal error in judgment which cost the visitors dear as Bayern scored from it.

Ousmane Dembele will have plenty of regrets having been sent off for a rash challenge while already on a booking but perhaps the mistake was the first booking for dissent rather than the second which ordinarily would have been a booking for a foul on Alphonso Davies. Warren Zaire-Emery will arguably feel the most at fault given that he wasted a glorious chance to go 1-0 up when he fired wide when well-positioned but it also underlined their major problem: they no longer score goals whether it be home or away games.

“It is hard to speak,” said Vitinha postgame. “We gave it our all. We got the impression that it would have been different without the red card. With the red, it was tough physically. Bayern had an extra man and it was much tougher. The first half was tense between the two sides. They created more chances but only scored from a corner. I maintain that we have a very good team. We can play and beat the best. Unfortunately, we have been unlucky in this Champions League. We cannot deny it — the situation is difficult. We have three games to go and we have to win all three.”