Bayern, PSG set up Korean derby semifinal

A “Korean derby” will headline the UEFA Champions League semifinals, as Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich prepares to face Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain.

FC Bayern Munich advanced on April 16 with a 4-3 comeback win over Real Madrid in the second leg of their quarterfinal at home. Bayern trailed 3-2 late before Luis Díaz leveled the score in the 44th minute, and Michael Olise struck in stoppage time to seal the victory.

The German side progressed 6-4 on aggregate after adding a 2-1 first-leg win. Bayern, seeking its first title since the 2019-2020 season and a seventh overall, will meet defending champion Paris Saint-Germain, which advanced a day earlier with a win over Liverpool.

This will be the third Champions League meeting between Kim and Lee. Bayern won both previous matchups. In the 2024-2025 league phase, Kim scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory. In November last year, Lee recorded an assist, but PSG fell 2-1. Bayern holds a 9-7 edge in 16 all-time meetings.

The semifinal will be played over two legs, with the first in Paris on April 29 and the return in Munich on May 7. Either result would mark a milestone for South Korean football. A Bayern win would make Kim the fourth South Korean to reach a Champions League final, joining Park Ji-sung, Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in. A PSG victory would send Lee to the final for a second consecutive year.

Both players were unused in the second leg of the quarterfinals, leaving their roles in the semifinals uncertain.

Elsewhere, Arsenal FC drew 0-0 with Sporting CP in London. Arsenal advanced 1-0 on aggregate and will face Atlético Madrid for a place in the final.


한종호 hjh@donga.com