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Paris Saint-German met RB Leipzig for a place in Sunday’s Champions League final, with the French side the firm favourites for the clash.
The Ligue 1 champions have spent a fortune in previous years in a bid to win Europe’s elite competition, but hadn’t reached this stage for 25 years, whereas RB Leipzig wouldn’t be founded for another 14 years after PSG’s last Champions League semi-final, an emphasis on how colossal their rise over the last decade has been.
After a bright start from the Bundesliga’s third-placed side, it was the favourites who had the first clear-cut chance as Mbappe played through Neymar one-on-one with the goalkeeper but, like in the quarter-final, the Brazilian left a big chance go begging as he dragged the ball narrowly wide of the far post.
But the Parisians would take the lead a couple of minutes later by a Brazilian not as well known for his goalscoring traits in Marquinhos, who met Angel Di Maria’s excellent free-kick with an equally impressive header.
Despite domination of possession from Thomas Tuchel’s side, Leipzig still looked threatening going forwards, with long-serving striker Yusssuf Poulson missing a good chance from close range after good work on the right flank from Konrad Laimer; PSG still had plenty of work to do.
However, PSG found the second goal they were desperate for before half-time has a suicidal pass from the Leipzig goalkeeper Gulacsi was intercepted high into Leipzig’s half as Angel Di Maria was found in the box following a sensational backheel flick from Neymar for a simple finish from the Argentine.
The list of missed Neymar chances during the Champions League restart was extended once again as the Parisians could’ve had their place in the final wrapped up, but the playmaker’s effort curled just wide of the post after a cut back from strike partner Mbappe.
Leipzig came out of the changing room following the half-time interval much more positive, however Emil Forsberg’s long-range effort which sailed over the crossbar was the closest the Germans came to halving the deficit, despite competing significantly closer to the opposition than they had in the first half.
Despite Leipzig’s pressure, PSG all but confirmed their place in the final as left-back Juan Bernat rose to guide a glancing header into the back of the net for the Ligue 1 champions. The question now was whether it would end in humiliation for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.
The Parisians could’ve extended their lead through star striker Kylian Mbappe, but the Frenchman missed two decent opportunities to turn Leipzig’s disappointment into humiliation.
Leipzig did at times look like they may have socred a consolation goal, however, the PSG defence largely remained untroubled and the French side booked their place in the Champions League final with a comfortable 3-0 win.
Thomas Tuchel’s side will play in their first final of Europe’s elite competition on Sunday, with either Bayern Munich or Lyon standing in their way of lifting the trophy.
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