PSG book Champions League final spot as Bayern rail at referee
Holders Paris Saint-Germain reached the Champions League final with a controversial 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich, who felt aggrieved by two major refereeing decisions going against them on Wednesday. The 6-5 aggregate semi-final victory for PSG sets up a clash with Arsenal in the final in Budapest on May 30. The visitors burst into an early lead after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was given far too much space on the left and he squared for Ousmane Dembélé to fire into the roof of the net.
Harry Kane, quiet otherwise, struck in injury time but it came too late for Bayern. Last week's first-leg goalfest in France, won 5-4 by PSG, was widely hailed as one of the best games of recent times. The second leg was a different affair, with the French side tactically strong and Bayern lamenting Portuguese referee João Pinheiro's performance.
PSG's Portugal left back Nuno Mendes was fortunate to avoid a second booking in the first half for a handball when the referee opted to blow up for Konrad Laimer committing the same offence seconds earlier. But replays showed the ball had hit the Bayern man in the chest. The video assistant (VAR) could not intervene over Mendes because it was a yellow card decision.
The Germans soon appealed for a handball in the box by João Neves, which was also rejected despite the Portugal midfielder's arm being away from his body as he deflected a clearance from his own team-mate. VAR did not appear to contact the referee. PSG saw out the second half and will go for their second Champions League title, and second in a row, against an Arsenal side they knocked out in last season's semi-finals.