PSG and Bayern Munich deliver nine-goal thriller in Champions League: Is it the highest-scoring semifinal ever?
worldsoccertalk.com · last week
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals, moving closer to a historic record. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich played an unforgettable match this Tuesday at the Parc des Princes in France. The hosts secured a dramatic 5-4 victory that gives them a slight edge heading into the UEFA Champions League second leg in Germany, while also producing a game for the history books. With this result, PSG and Bayern matched the all-time record for most goals in a Champions League semifinal match. The only previous instance came 66 years ago, when Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Rangers FC 6-3 in the second leg of the 1959–60 European Cup semifinals. That clash between the German and Scottish sides also holds the record for the highest-scoring semifinal tie in the competition’s history. In the first leg, Eintracht Frankfurt had won 6-1, bringing the total to 16 goals across the series. That means PSG and Bayern Munich would need seven goals in the second leg at the Allianz Arena next week to match that mark. Since the competition was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League in the 1991–92 season, there had never been a semifinal matchup with this many goals. The closest examples were Liverpool FC’s 5-2 win over AS Roma in 2018 and Inter Milan’s 4-3 victory over FC Barcelona in 2025. Luis Diaz of FC Bayern Munich celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal. PSG and Bayern Munich threaten historic Barcelona record The unforgettable spectacle between PSG and Bayern Munich not only secured their place in Champions League semifinal history, but also brought them closer to a long-standing record currently held by Barcelona. According to stats expert Mister Chip on X, both teams are nearing the record for most goals scored in a single edition of the competition. Barcelona currently top that list, having scored 45 goals during the 1999–2000 season. With five goals on Tuesday, PSG now sit second on that list with 43, matching the totals posted by Bayern Munich in 2019–20 and Barcelona in 2024–25. The top five is rounded out by this current Bayern side, who have scored 42 goals in this edition of the Champions League. These figures are clearly influenced by the tournament’s current format, introduced last season, which features more matches than before and allows teams to boost their scoring totals. Even so, with the second leg still to come—and a final awaiting one of the two sides—it appears highly likely that Barcelona’s record will be broken this year.
