Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos has described his side’s dramatic 5–4 victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg as a “crazy game,” reflecting on the intense pace and physical demands of the encounter in Paris.

The defending UEFA Champions League champions edged the German giants in a nine-goal thriller at home, taking a slender advantage into the second leg scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, in Munich.

PSG and Bayern Munich produced a pulsating contest defined by attacking football, high pressing, and relentless tempo, with both sides repeatedly exposing defensive gaps in a game that swung end to end.

Despite the narrow victory, Marquinhos admitted the match took a significant physical toll on the players.

Speaking after the game, he said:

“Every football fan loves a game like that. It was a crazy game, two teams who play similar, aggressive and intense. We are so happy that we were able to come away with the win.”

With PSG holding a slim advantage heading into the return fixture in Munich, Marquinhos stressed the need for recovery and mental preparation ahead of another demanding clash.

He warned that the second leg could mirror the same intensity as the first:“I think next week will be the same crazy game, two teams that want to score. We need to go there with the same mentality and personality so we can get the same amazing job done.”

He added that physical recovery would be crucial:

“We need a lot of effort to win. We need to rest because this game made us tired,” he told Amazon Prime.

The first-leg thriller highlights the razor-thin margins separating PSG and Bayern Munich in this year’s semi-final, with both sides showing attacking dominance but defensive vulnerability. PSG’s narrow lead places pressure on the French side to manage both intensity and endurance in Munich, where Bayern will be backed by a strong home crowd and will look to overturn the deficit.

The tie remains finely balanced, with the second leg expected to deliver another high-intensity contest that could define PSG’s European campaign.