Harry Kane praised the defensive efforts displayed during Bayern Munich's 5-4 loss to Paris Saint‑Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi‑final, calling them "incredible". The match, which produced nine goals, marked the first occasion in a European semi‑final where both sides each netted four or more times.
Kane, who opened the scoring from the penalty spot, summed up his thoughts at the post‑match interview on Amazon Prime: "Even though there were nine goals, there was some amazing defending out there. You have the best players in the world – the best attackers, the best defenders.
Naturally, the attackers will sometimes dominate and showcase their quality. But when you look back at the centre‑backs dropping into midfield, joining the attack, or covering the flanks against wingers, you have to give them credit. It's a really tough job, and I thought they were outstanding." Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany later addressed critics who were shocked by the sheer number of goals, agreeing with Kane that the defending had its merits. Former England captain Wayne Rooney, however, offered a starkly different perspective.
Speaking to the same Amazon Prime audience, Rooney said: "I love Harry Kane – you can see that in everything I say about him – but there's no way he can honestly be praising his defenders. Maybe because they're his teammates and he wants to boost their confidence ahead of the second leg.
The defending from both sides was, frankly, terrible. If he were being completely honest, he'd admit that." Rooney continued, "Both teams have such high‑quality attackers that they seemed to forget about defending, which gave us a feast of goals. The best players find a way through, and when you're up against world‑class forwards you have to adapt. You no longer hear defenders shouting instructions like Jamie Carragher used to do at Liverpool.
That used to annoy me, but it got his full‑backs into position. Today you don't get that level of communication, and that's a result of modern coaching methods." He added, "It was a chaotic, crazy game. Luis Enrique is a top‑class coach, so when PSG were 5‑2 up they could have told the team to sit back and protect the ball.
Instead they kept pushing for more goals, and Kompany's Bayern are an attack‑oriented side. We saw some immature defending, which is shocking at this level." Paris Saint‑Germain boss Luis Enrique gave a candid assessment of his side's role in the spectacle. After the match he told reporters, "We won, of course, and we're very happy. But after being 5‑2 up you think you could have achieved a better result.
I think we deserved to win, but we also deserved to draw, and we even deserved to lose – that's how balanced the game was." Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher praised the attacking display, noting that the semi‑final had become the joint‑highest scoring encounter in European Cup history. Speaking to CBS Sports, Carragher said, "Normally when I see a game like that I would say the defending wasn't good enough, that it didn't meet the standard of this level. But every attacker on the pitch was an eight or nine out of ten, and each forward got the better of his counterpart. The goals weren't the result of goalkeeper errors or sloppy defending – they were simply brilliant finishes.
The attacking play was so high‑quality that stopping the goals was almost impossible." The goal‑fest at the Parc des Princes meant both PSG (43 goals) and Bayern Munich (42 goals) have surpassed the 40‑goal mark in this season's Champions League. Former French international Thierry Henry, reacting on CBS Sports, remarked, "We've been talking a lot about teams that play too safe, that avoid risk. Tonight we saw plenty of risk.
If you were wearing a defensive hat you might think the game was crazy, but I don't care. People have been complaining football is boring – that game was anything but boring.
It was exhilarating." Sky Sports' Callum Bishop offered a broader analysis, stating, "Tonight reminded us how beautiful football can be when it flows freely, especially when some argue that modern tactics have made the game formulaic. Watching the match took me back to my first memory of falling in love with football – a Champions League semi‑final in 2007 when Manchester United faced AC Milan at Old Trafford. Kaka's second goal that night was pure poetry, a moment of skill that sent defenders crashing into each other before he calmly slotted past van der Sar.
Tonight, there were countless moments like that, moments that took your breath away." Bishop continued, "A goal‑fest like this should be celebrated. Goalkeepers and defenders may be unhappy, but most fans would rather see spectacles like this every week. This is the purest form of the beautiful game across 90 minutes, and we still have another 90 to play in this tie." Following the match, Sky Sports invited fans to share their reactions.
Many described the encounter as one of the best they had ever witnessed. Comments included: - Mark: "This is how football should be played – fast, entertaining, end‑to‑end. It felt like a throwback to the days before modern, boring football." - Scott B: "Anyone who missed that game missed out.
It was a great day to be a neutral fan; that's what football is about!" - Joe: "Not only was it the greatest Champions League semi‑final ever, but after years of watching the sport, I think it's one of the best games ever." - Andrew: "This match showed English clubs they have a lot of catching up to do. It was sensational." - Mikey: "I'm an Arsenal fan, but whoever progresses from our tie has no chance in the final!" The match sparked a debate about the balance between attacking flair and defensive solidity, with opinions ranging from Kane's admiration for the defenders' effort to Rooney's outright dismissal of their performance. As the two giants prepare for the second leg, the football world will be watching to see whether defensive discipline improves or whether the goal‑rich spectacle continues.