Bayern Munich win the Champions League as Kingsley Coman header downs Paris Saint-Germain

Kingsley Coman was the player that, for all their wealth, Paris St Germain could not keep. Fearing for his pathway as the club recruited increasingly stellar talents, he ran down his contract, and left. And last night that decision came back to haunt them, in the worst way imaginable.

It was Coman who denied his former club their first Champions League trophy, Coman who murdered that dream for another year, who outshone Neymar and Kylian Mbappe with the sweetest, simplest of headers. Coman found the net for Bayern Munich. And that was all it took.

This was not, after all, the all-action thriller many had imagined. It was a decent game, but hardly the finest exhibit of the art of goalscoring. Robert Lewandowski missed a few, Mbappe was tame, Neymar was a creative force but did nothing to define the match, or his status as the world’s most expensive footballer.

Coman, by contrast, had one chance, took it, and delivered Munich a clean sweep of titles for 2019-20. Bundesliga, German Cup, Champion League. Everything they entered, they won. It was a triumph, too, for coach Hansi Flick, who took an ailing team, turned them into a winning machine, and was vindicated in his decision-making to the very last day. Ivan Perisic has been excellent for Munich in this UEFA mini-tournament. For the final, Flick dropped him and replaced him with Coman. It was a bold move. It will not be recalled as little short of inspired.

The goal that secured sixth Champions League or European Cup trophy came in the 59th minute. Good football in the build-up from Bayern, who had the best of the possession even if PSG should perhaps have done more with their chances. The cross from the right, though, from Joshua Kimmich was perfection, struck to the far post and falling perfectly for Coman who had crept in behind full-back Thilo Kehrer. It still needed converting, mind, and Coman’s soft little header was masterful. He steered it past PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas, into the far corner. Flick’s reputation with Germany was as a set-piece specialist and one wonders how much time his players spend on the training field, honing their technique. It certainly looked to have paid off. Coman is a lovely, skilful, player, but any old-fashioned centre-forward would have been proud of that header.

Credit also, to Bayern Munich, back line, with so many predicting a rude awakening against PSG’s forwards. The French have scored in their last 34 Champions League games, equalling a record set by Real Madrid between 2011 and 2014, but could find no way through here. Even once Munich had the lead, PSG did not look like scoring. Munich were fitter, stronger and dictated the pace of the game, steering it to conclusion. PSG, having spent so much money trying to win this trophy, grew increasingly rattled and irritable. Only in injury time when Neymar shot across the face of goal was their a moment when Munich looked threatened.

They have long been acclaimed as the best in Europe this season but this win was accomplished more than overwhelming. As for the deluge of goals, how often do we see that in a game of this magnitude. Teams do not get here by being weak or soft. Eight past Barcelona, three past Lyon and then a gutsy single goal win to clinch the final. That’s how the best team in Europe does it.

As so often happens in finals, when everybody predicts goals galore, two rather resilient, and no doubt rather insulted, set of defences turned up. So the first half here at Estadio da Luz brought plenty of attacking impetus but nothing that really frightened the horses, despite the wonderful talents on display.

Robert Lewandowski, chasing Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for goalscoring in a Champions League season, had two good chances in front of goal, but could not convert. Neymar made a pair of wonderful breaks through the heart of Bayern Munich’s midfield, but nothing came of them, save an aggravation of the muscle injury that had threatened Jerome Boateng’s participation in the game. As for Kylian Mbappe, he should have done better. He got into the best positions, but seemed almost reluctant to take advantage. The biggest stages can intimidate even the greatest players and while this famous arena was largely empty of sound and fury, there was little doubt what was at stake with the prize so conspiculously positioned.

And it was entirely without noise, either. Both clubs were allowed 25 additional guests for the final, as well as squad players, backroom staff, owners and directors, and Munich’s at least were in good voice. No match for the cacophony of the Allianz Arena, obviously, but not a bad attempt for a bunch of suits. They even had a crack at singing.

Not that there was much to sing about in the first 20 minutes for Bayern. They had decent position but little cutting edge, and the early chances fell to Paris St Germain. In the 14th minute, Julian Bernat had a cross cut back from the left which fell to Mbappe, the first of several opportunities that were crowned with an underwhelming finish. This one was simply blocked.

Then, four minutes later, Neymar came down the same flank forcing a double save from Manuel Neuer. The first blocked his shot, the second cut out his attempt to clip the loose ball back to another blue shirt. The idea that Munich were a cut above every other team in Europe was quickly being exposed as fantasy. They’re good; they’re not so good that nobody can live with them.

Certainly, PSG are an hugely competent team and in the 23 rd minute they forced the best chance of the half with its best move. Neymar was the architect sprinting through the middle, defenders and sentries in his wake, not least Boateng who was a pre-match doubt with a muscle injury. Neymar released the ball to Angel Di Maria, who played a lovely one-two with Ander Herrera, before firing a shot that flew narrowly over the bar. Boateng fell to the floor, and played no further part in the game, replaced by Niklas Sule. It was difficult for Bayern at the back. Soon after Alphonso Davies was booked for a foul on Thilo Kehrer, putting him in jeopardy for the remaining hour, at least. Serge Gnabry was booked in the second-half for a nasty little challenge on Neymar, proving he may have picked up something from Tony Pulis after all. Leandro Paredes of PSG also went into the book for the pushing and shoving it inspired.

Another decent chance went awry in the minute before half-time when shoddiness in the Munich defence set up Herrera, feeding the ball to Mbappe. He should have shot but gave it back to Herrera, who returned the favour, Mbappe then hitting a very tame on straight at Neuer. Poor.

At the other end, Lewandowski was faring little better. In the 22nd minute, he failed to get a proper connection on a cross from Davies, and although the ball hit a post, it was bobbling and scruffy, causing goalkeeper Keylor Navas as more difficulties because of that than its aim. Then, after 31 minutes a flick from Leon Goretzka, found Lewandowski again, his header producing an excellent reflex save from Navas, before gathering at the second attempt.