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Bayern Munich have become the champions of Europe for a 6th time. In a cagey UEFA Champions League final, it was all about the margins and an otherwise freescoring Bayern Munich needed just the one goal to beat Paris Saint-Germain and win Europe's elite competition.
It was Kingsley Coman, given a rare start in place of Ivan Perisic, who nodded home the winner from a Joshua Kimmich cross in the 59th minute. Paris Saint-Germain weren't without their chances. After having started off on a promising note and posing a lot of trouble to Bayern's high backline, they faded off.
The Bavarians stayed on top of their game till the very end, never slowing down and constantly breaking up the play whenever Paris Saint-Germain threatened to foray into dangerous territory.
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It was a testing affair and the judgments meted out might be a tad bit too harsh to the players. But bear with us. Let's take a look at the hits and flops from the game.
#5 Hit- Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich)
Thiago was excellent as usual for Bayern Munich in midfield. It was a performance that was typical of the Spaniard, hardly ever giving the ball away and always making sure Bayern had the upperhand in centre of the park with his intelligent passing and movement.
Thiago had more touches on the ball and carried it for longer than any other player on the pitch. The match was a cagey affair and on the grandest stages, these games are often decided by the finest of margins and Thiago made the difference for Bayern in midfield.
The 29-year-old brought all his experience to the fore and showed why Liverpool are so desperate to sign him this transfer window. Bayern Munich would be foolish to let him go.
#4 Flop- Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe does not make this list for a lack of trying. He was always available to run into the free space vacated by the advanced Bayern defence but he ended up doing little with it.
The Frenchman was played into space on multiple occasions but his end product was consistently tame. Mbappe missed Paris Saint-Germain's biggest chance of the game right before half time after he pulled a weak shot straight at Neuer after Herrera found him in space inside the box.
It was a night that the youngster was expected to light up but he ended it without making his mark on the game.
#3 Hit- Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich)
Kingsley Coman made sure that the trust Hans Flick placed in him was paid off with interest. The Frenchman never shied away from taking the Paris Saint-Germain defenders on and Kehrer had a very difficult time trying to contain the Bayern Munich winger.
Paris Saint-Germain were lucky to escape a penalty scare after Coman was brought down inside the area on the brink of half-time after he stormed into the box from the left flank.
Coman kept making intelligent runs and he almost added a second after running on to a cross at the far post shortly after his first goal. However, his left-footed shot was cleared by Thiago Silva. Coman had an excellent outing and came back to haunt his old team on one of the biggest nights of his career for Bayern Munich.
#2 Flop- Thilo Kehrer (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kehrer started off well for Paris Saint-Germain in an attacking sense. However, he was all over the place defensively and stumbled in the box while backpedalling to deal with Joshua Kimmich's cross and this led to Coman safely heading the ball home.
Kehrer struggled against Coman's pace and was lucky to have not given away a penalty right before halftime after bringing the Frenchman down inside the box.
The 23-year-old switched off on multiple occasions and consistently failed to mark his man at the far post and things could have turned even grimmer for him had Coman converted from a cross after getting a shot away inside the box, unmarked.
#1 Hit- Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich's champion goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came up trumps whenever called upon and kept his team in the game after Paris Saint-Germain threatened to run away with it in the opening 30 minutes.
His outstretched legs were simply impossible to get past on multiple occasions as Neuer denied Neymar and Marquinhos and showcased good positioning to deny Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain's best chance of the game.
Manuel Neuer proved on the big stage once again why he is one of the greatest goalkeepers of this generation and perhaps one of the greatest of all time. He also contributed greatly to Bayern's cause in his 'sweeper keeper' role, always ready to provide cover for Bayern Munich's backline by latching on to long balls and quelling PSG' breaks.
