PSG weren't 'fully committed' in Bayern Munich loss as Bradley Barcola admits they 'weren't expecting' such dominance from Vincent Kompany's winning machine

Many expected PSG to be Bayern’s first real test in the European competition, especially with the German side on a 15-game winning streak heading into the tie. But Vincent Kompany's team were ruthless as they tore through the French side’s defence. Even after losing their brace scorer, Diaz, to a red card for a reckless challenge on Achraf Hakimi, Bayern held strong at the back to secure a crucial win.

It was a bitter pill for the defending champions, who also had to cope with major injuries to two of their key starters during the game. Hakimi was left in tears after the ex-Liverpool winger went in late on the Moroccan, catching him on the ankle after losing possession. He was initially shown a yellow card, but it was upgraded to red following a VAR review.

Earlier in the game, the reigning Ligue 1 champions had Dembele limping off just minutes after scoring an equaliser, which was ruled out by VAR. The 28-year-old, who has struggled with a hamstring injury this season, was replaced by Barcola in the 25th minute, who couldn't make much impact in the game.

The French forward was candid in his assessment after the game, explaining how Bayern’s performance exceeded expectations. "It's surprising," he said. 

"We knew it was going to be difficult. We honestly weren't expecting this, but we'll try to take the positives from this match because it was a really tough evening. It's a good wake-up call. They were a very good team we were up against, and we'll try to bounce back as quickly as possible," the 23-year-old added.

The former Lyon player was particularly critical of PSG’s start and the defensive errors that allowed Diaz to score twice in the first half. "We lacked concentration on certain plays, which cost us goals," he analysed. "It wasn't all bad; we did wake up well, but the start of the match was very costly. We weren't fully committed from the outset, and the first half was very average, which is what made us lose the game."

Meanwhile, manager Luis Enrique also rued the poor defending in the first half and admitted that the upcoming games will be tough for his injury-riddled team. He told Canal+: "At 11 against 11, Bayern were stronger, without a doubt. We gave the opposition some very nice gifts in the first half. We could have conceded more. In the second half, it was different because we had an extra player. Consequences? I can't talk about the future. We know our schedule is the worst. The next few will be difficult."

PSG’s injury woes have been mounting since the start of the season, with international breaks proving particularly cruel. Dembele and Desire Doue both missed early matches after picking up injuries during duties with France. While the French forward returned to action, Doue suffered another setback during a Ligue 1 clash against Lorient, where he had to be stretchered off in tears. The former Rennes prodigy now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, according to L’Equipe, Hakimi is expected to be out until mid-December, potentially missing the start of the 2025 AFCON. With Dembele again sidelined, the Spanish manager faces a major challenge in keeping PSG competitive in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

The French giants now face a tough few weeks as they try to navigate the season with several key players sidelined. The small silver lining for PSG boss is that despite the injury setbacks, the club still sit atop the Ligue 1 table, with seven wins in 11 matches, just two points ahead of Marseille, who are themselves battling a severe injury crisis. After a tough Tuesday's loss ,the team will now prepare for another tricky game against Lyon.