UCL final: Bayern to face PSG

Bayern Munich has qualified for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final following a 3-0 win over Olympic Lyon at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on Wednesday night.

It was “de ja vu” for the French side, who also lost at this stage of the competition to the German club ten years ago, with Serge Gnabry’s brace doing the damage this time around in a comfortable win for the Bavarians.

Both teams named unchanged line-ups from their quarterfinal wins and it was Lyon who sprang into action from the first whistle, cutting through Bayern’s defence to create two clear-cut chances in the first 15 minutes. But Memphis Depay and Karl Toko Ekambi could only hit the bar when put through on goal.

Bayern responded against the run of play in devastating fashion. The Bavarians took the lead through Gnabry’s stunning goal on 18 minutes. The former Arsenal reject collected a long ball from Joshua Kimmich, cut onto his favourite foot before driving a rasping shot into the net from the edge of the area.

Hansi Flick’s side dominated from then onward and Lyon, dazed from the first goal, allowed Gnarbry to score his second goal of the night on 34 minutes. The 25-year-old graciously tapped in, from close range, Ivan Perisic’s cross that was allowed to run through to him by Lyon’s defence, registering his 10th goal in nine UCL matches this season.

Bayern Munich started the second half like they ended the first as Perisic got a double chance that was smothered by Anthony Lopes, Lyon’s goalkeeper.

Lyon, however, refused to back down and sought a way back but were thwarted by Manuel Neuer, Bayern’s veteran goalkeeper, who had great saves from the duo of Marcelo and Ekambi.

Bayern Munich added gloss to the scoreline through Robert Lewandowski, with the Polish striker rising highest to bury Kimmich’s free-kick delivery for his 55th goal of the season.

The German side will face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), another French club, in the UCL final on August 23, at the Estadio da Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal.