'This is our maximum': Kylian Mbappe admits PSG not good enough to win Champions League

A 2-0 win for Bayern Munich at home on Wednesday secured a 3-0 aggregate victory over the Parisians and passage through to the quarter-finals

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe endured a frustrating night against Bayern Munich. AFP

Kylian Mbappe hinted that Paris Saint-Germain are simply not good enough to win the Champions League after the French giants' latest failure in Europe's premier competition.

A 2-0 win for Bayern Munich at home on Wednesday secured a 3-0 aggregate victory over the Parisians and passage through to the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Ligue 1 leaders have now gone out of the Champions League in the first knockout round in five of the past seven seasons.

PSG placed their hope in Mbappe and Lionel Messi turning the tie around in Munich, but the latter had little impact while the France superstar saw just 32 touches of the ball.

"As I said in my first Champions League press conference this season, we were going to do our maximum. The truth is this is our maximum," admitted Mbappe, whose own future will now again become the subject of increasing speculation.

Former PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and winger Serge Gnabry scored second-half goals at the Allianz Arena for Bayern, who were worthy winners against a flat PSG side.

Coach Christophe Galtier admitted the French side had no option but to accept their latest early Champions League exit and move on, although insisted the outcome of the last-16 tie would have been different had the visitors scored first in Wednesday's second leg.

"It is a big disappointment. Unfortunately we have to digest it and accept it," Galtier told broadcaster Canal Plus. "We have to carry on in the league. Everyone is disappointed, not least me. Even if we had lots of difficulties in the first leg we placed a lot of hope in the second leg."

Bayern v PSG player ratings

BAYERN MUNICH RATINGS: Yann Sommer 7: Called into action to save at feet of Messi early in game. Caught dallying on ball by Hakimi and needed goalline rescue from teammate De Ligt to deny Vitinha a goal. Good one-handed save from Ramos header in second half. Getty

Josip Stanisic 7: Croatian full-back shown a clean pair heels by Mbappe on a couple of occasions but most defenders struggle with his pace and was generally sound at back for Bayern. Getty

Dayot Upamecano 8: French defender was very impressive for Bayern and stood up well to the dangers of Mbappe and Messi. AP

Matthijs de Ligt 8: Magnificent sliding goalline clearance to deny Vitinha goal in first half. Good block on Mbappe after France attacker shot on turn just after break. Getty

Alphonso Davies 8: Vital interception to prevent Messi getting shot in on goal in opening half and was making similar challenges at back in last five minutes. Almost scored a third for Bayern but denied by keeper. AFP

Leon Goretzka 8: Had Bayern’s first shot on target after 16 minutes but low strike saved by keeper. Beaten very easily by Messi in PSG attack that ended with Mbappe shooting into side netting. Headed corner over bar on hour mark. Provided assist for Choupo-Moting goal. AFP

Joshua Kimmich 8: German was neat, tidy, sensible with his distribution and barely put a foot wrong in midfield. His crunching tackle started move for Gnabry’s late goal. AFP

Kingsley Coman 6: Scored only goal of first leg and the Champions League final winner against PSG back in 2020 - but was well contained by Nunez at the Alliaz Arena here. AP

Thomas Muller 5: Veteran German attacker never got sniff of goal and cost Bayern a goal just after half-time when caught in offside position trying to tap home Choupo-Moting header that was probably heading for net anyway. Reuters

Jamal Musiala 7: One dreadful pass flew out for throw-in to bring promising Bayern move to abrupt end in opening half but denied goal not long after by fine save from Donnarumma. Getty

Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting 7: Caused PSG little or no problem until early on in second half when was denied headed goal by teammate Muller being caught offside. Did put Bayern ahead with calm finish minutes later. EPA

SUBS: Leroy Sane (On for Choupo-Moting 68’) 6: Frustrating cameo from former Manchester City man whose final product was lacking. AFP

Sadio Mane (On for Musiala 81’) N/A. Found back of net but had been caught offside. Reuters

Joao Cancelo (On for Muller 86’) N/A. Getty

Serge Gnabry (On for Coman 86’) N/A: Nice left-footed finish to put icing on cake of Bayern victory. AFP

PSG RATINGS: Gianluigi Donnarumma 7: Fine save low down to deny Musiala goal just after half-hour mark and to deny Davies in last few minutes. Left exposed by defence for both Bayern goals. EPA

Danilo 6: A couple of moments to forget in first half – once when he rolled around on ground as if shot after nothing challenge, the other when he was left for dead by Musiala and needed rescuing by Donnarumma. Reuters

Sergio Ramos 8: Veteran defender produced vital covering tackle to prevent low cross reaching Choupo-Moting in first half. Two headers in second half - one well and one just wide of target. Ex Real Madrid man was PSG’s best player on night. AFP

Marquinhos: 7: Looked in real discomfort with rib problem in first half and was substituted after 35 minutes. Had looked solid before then with Choupo-Moting and Muller causing little problems. Getty

Achraf Hakimi 6: Stole in to take ball off feet of Sommer which should have ended with Vitinha scoring in first half. Moroccan was not his usual self in terms of giving PSG an attacking option down his flank. Booked in injury-time. Reuters

Vitinha 6: Should have put PSG into first-half lead but his weak side-foot finish was cleared off line by de Ligt. One excellent surging run ended with Mbappe having shot on goal blocked. AP

Marco Verratti 6: Snapped at Bayern heels from the off and was PSG’s most effective passer in opening 45. But caught in possession on edge of box which led to Choupo-Moting opening scoring. AFP

Fabian Ruiz 5: Spanish midfielder failed to get grip on midfield, produced no moments of impact, hooked in 76th minute and only surprise was it didn’t happen earlier. Getty

Nuno Mendes 7: Good break down left and his ball into box ended with Bayern’s defence blocking three Messi attempts on goal. Important interception to stop Davies having free shot on goal in second-half Bayern counter-attack Did well against Bayern dangerman Coman. AFP

Lionel Messi 6: The odd flash of trademark brilliance in first half, skinning Goretzka was ludicrous ease at one point and was denied goal by three desperate PSG blocks in space of a few seconds. Disappeared in second half. AFP

Kylian Mbappe 7: Two chances from tight angles in opening 20 minutes – one easily saved, one fired into side netting. Shot well blocked by defender just after break then had another shot saved. AFP

SUBS: Nordi Mukiele (On for Marquinhos 36’) N/A: Early introduction due to Marquinhos injury only to be subbed himself at half-time. Must have been injured as didn’t seem to have done much wrong. AFP

El Chadaille Bitshiabu (On for Mukiele 46’) 7: Teenage defender was brought on at break and looked solid for PSG although was his pass that put Verratti under pressure in run-up to opening goal. Getty

Warren Zaire-Emery (On for Ruiz 76’) N/A. Getty

Hugo Ekitike (On for Vitinha 82’) N/A. EPA

Juan Bernat (On for Mendes 82’) N/A. Getty

Galtier was left to rue a first-half miss by Vitinha when the game was goalless, as his shot was cleared off the line by Matthijs de Ligt.

The PSG coach also bemoaned his team's defending at Bayern's opener, which came after Marco Verratti was dispossessed in his own box.

"We had a really good spell when we created chances. We were competing with our opponents and were on top. Unfortunately we couldn't take the chances we had," he said.

"Then in the second half we conceded a really stupid goal. At this level you need to be a bit more clear-headed.

"Obviously we were under pressure from Bayern. At that point you need to not be ashamed to play long, to break out of the press.

"And obviously after an hour when you go behind it becomes very difficult.

"I don't know if it is a lesson we need to learn but it is frustrating and disappointing. The game would definitely have been different had we scored first."

Serge Gnabry scores Bayern's Munich's second goal in their 2-0 last-16 second-leg win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Allianz Arena on March 8, 2023. Bayern won 3-0 on aggregate. AP

PSG's Lionel Messi looks dejected after Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's goal for Bayern Munich. Getty

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting celebrates after scoring for Bayern Munich. Getty

Bayern Munich's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scores in the second-half. AFP

Bayern Munich are denied a goal when Thomas Mueller is caught offside. Reuters

PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma watches Serge Gnabry's shot hit the back of the net to make 2-0 to Bayern. Getty

Referee Daniele Orsato after disallowing a Bayern goal when Thomas Muller was caught offside. Getty

Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer saves at the feet of PSG's Kylian Mbappe. Getty

Bayern's Matthijs de Ligt makes a goalline clearance to deny Vitinha a goal for PSG. Getty

PSG's Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and El Chadaille Bitshiabu after Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's goal for Bayern. Getty

Substitute Serge Gnabry celebrates scoring Bayern's second goal. Reuters

Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer and Kylian Mbappe of PSG battle for the ball. AP

Matthijs de Ligt and Yann Sommer Bayern Munich combine to deny PSG's Lionel Messi. Getty

PSG's Lionel Messi is tackled by Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich. Getty

PSG's task was also complicated by injuries in defence, with skipper Marquinhos having to come off with a rib problem before half time. His replacement in central defence, Nordi Mukiele, had also been a pre-match fitness doubt and only lasted until the interval before having to come off.

"We had a lot of important players absent in the first game and in the second game," said Galtier, who could only use Mbappe as a substitute in the first leg as he was recovering from a thigh injury. "We had to change two central defenders, one in the first half and one at half-time. That weakened us enormously.

"Just as Bayern dominated the first game we played very differently tonight. It is not enough and obviously there is a lot of frustration and disappointment in the dressing room. But we can't replay this tie. We need to look forward now."

Questions will now be asked over the future of Messi, who is out of contract this summer and has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, Mbappe, who almost joined Real Madrid last year, as well as Galtier, who is in his first season at the club.

"We know how important the Champions League is to PSG," Galtier said. "There is a lot of expectation. If we only win the league, has it been a bad season? The big regret is that we were not able to compete with all our strength in this tie."