Harry Kane praised what he described as "incredible defending" in Bayern Munich’s 5‑4 loss to Paris Saint‑Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi‑final, but former England captain Wayne Rooney offered a starkly different take. The match, which produced nine goals, marked the first occasion in a European semi‑final where both sides each found the net four times or more. Kane, who opened the scoring from the penalty spot, summed up his thoughts at the post‑match interview on Amazon Prime.
He said, "Even though there were nine goals, there was some amazing defending on display. You have the best players in the world – the finest attackers and the finest defenders.
Of course, sometimes the attackers will dominate and showcase their quality, but when you look back at the centre‑backs stepping into midfield, joining the attack, or tracking back against wingers, you have to give them credit. It’s a very demanding role, and I thought they were outstanding." Bayern Munich’s manager, Vincent Kompany, while defending the high‑scoring affair, echoed Kane’s sentiment that the defensive work had been commendable, even as he acknowledged the disappointment of some fans who expected a tighter game. Rooney, however, was less forgiving.
In his own Amazon Prime interview he 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 he’s trying to boost his teammates’ confidence ahead of the second leg, but the defending from both sides was really poor, if you’re being truthful." Rooney went on to explain that the sheer quality of the attacking talent on the pitch seemed to eclipse defensive responsibilities.
"Both teams have such elite players up front that they apparently forgot to defend, which gave us a feast of spectacular goals. The better players find a way through, and when you’re up against world‑class attackers you have to adapt," he added. He also lamented the lack of vocal leadership among defenders, recalling former Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher’s habit of shouting instructions to his back line.
"You don’t hear that level of communication now – that’s a result of modern coaching," Rooney argued. The ex‑England captain labelled the encounter "crazy and chaotic" and critiqued PSG manager Luis Enrique’s tactical choices. "Luis Enrique is a top‑class coach, so after taking a 5‑2 lead he should have said ‘let’s sit back and protect the ball’, but instead they kept pushing for more goals.
Vincent Kompany runs a very attack‑oriented Bayern side, and we saw some immature defending – it was insane," he said. Luis Enrique, speaking to the press after the match, offered a measured assessment of his side’s performance. "We won, of course we’re happy, very happy.
After being 5‑2 up you think you could have achieved an even bigger result. I think we deserved the win, but we also deserved a draw, and we even deserved to lose – that’s how close it was," he admitted.
Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher highlighted the quality of the attacking play, noting that the semi‑final tied for the highest‑scoring encounter in European Cup history. "Usually when I see a game like that I’d say ‘the defending isn’t good enough’ or ‘it doesn’t meet the standards of this level’, but every attacker on the pitch was an eight or nine out of ten.
They all got the better of their opposite number. The goals weren’t the result of goalkeeper blunders or defensive stupidity; they were simply great goals. The attacking display was so high‑level that stopping them was almost impossible," he explained.
The goal‑fest at the Parc des Princes meant both PSG (43 goals) and Bayern Munich (42 goals) have now each scored more than 40 times in this season’s Champions League, underscoring their offensive prowess. Former French international Thierry Henry, speaking on CBS Sports, added his perspective on the risk‑taking displayed by both sides. "We’ve been hearing a lot about teams playing it safe, preferring not to lose rather than to win. Tonight there was plenty of risk.
If you were wearing your defensive hat you might think the game was crazy, but I don’t care. People say football is boring – this game was anything but.
It was exhilarating," he said. Sky Sports’ Callum Bishop provided a broader analysis, describing the match as a reminder of football’s beauty when it flows freely, unshackled by overly rigid tactics. "Watching the game reminded me of the first time I fell in love with football – a Champions League semi‑final in 2007 when Manchester United faced AC Milan at Old Trafford. Kaka’s skill, the poetic movement, the sheer joy of the attack – that’s what we saw tonight in abundance.
It led to a goal‑fest that should be celebrated. Goalkeepers and defenders may be unhappy, but most fans would love to see spectacles like this every week.
This is football in its purest form across 90 minutes, and we still have another 90 to go," Bishop wrote. 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 ranged from nostalgia for fast, end‑to‑end football to admiration for the spectacle, with some noting that English clubs need to catch up.
The consensus was clear: the game was a thrilling showcase of attacking football that will be remembered for years to come.