Bayern Munich beat PSG 1-0 for sixth UCL title

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, the formidable goal-getter from Poland, held Old Big Ears with his both hands and gave a kiss on the official trophy awarded to the Champions League winners. The stadium was filled with roars of Bayern Munich players, who stood on the top of European football. By contrast, Brazilian football star Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain trudged off the pitch and left behind the festivities. His eyes were watery.

Munich sank PSG by 1-0 thanks to the deciding header from Kingsley Coman to win the 2019-2020 UEFA Champions League, which was held in Lisbon, Portugal on Sunday local time. Having won their sixth UCL title this season, Munich wrapped up a treble, which is their second in club history, winning both the German Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal this year. Munich became the second club to have completed two trebles following FC Barcelona. The German club also won all 11 matches on UCL stage this time, becoming the first team to win the UCL trophy without conceding a single game.

Undoubtedly, the biggest hero was Lewandowski, who found the net in all games he appeared except the final. Pundits say had it not been for the coronavirus, Ballon d’Or would have found its way to the Polish striker. “Never stop dreaming. Never give up when you fail,” Lewandowski wrote on his Instagram after winning his first-ever UCL trophy.

Coman’s header drew attention as the French was trained in PSG youth team and made his professional debut in 2013 in PSG. In 2014, Coman left his French club to join Juventus before entering FC Bayern Munich to eventually subdue his home club’s ambition to conquer Europe. “I am beyond happy, but I feel rather sorry for PSG,” said Coman, the lucky footballer from France who has won the regular league titles with every team he has played for since professional debut.


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com