Platini challenges modern football’s obsession with goals after PSG-Bayern classic

Michel Platini has questioned the acclaim given to Paris Saint-Germain’s nine-goal Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich, arguing that defensive quality and goalkeeping should be valued as highly as scoring.

The French football great and three-time Ballon d’Or winner said modern football had become increasingly focused on spectacle, with the quality of a match often judged by its goal count rather than by its technical detail or overall performance.

In an extended interview with L’Equipe, Platini revisited his view of the game and acknowledged that it differs from the prevailing outlook in football today. He also criticised the changing relationship between players, clubs and supporters compared with the period in which he played.

“Professional football has now become brands and mercenaries,” Platini said, in comments reported by RMC. “We played for the team and for the supporters, whereas today players say: ‘I want to go down in history’, but they are not attached to the clubs or the supporters.”

Platini’s perspective was particularly clear when he discussed last season’s dramatic Champions League semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

The first leg produced nine goals, with Paris Saint-Germain winning 5-4, before the two sides drew 1-1 in the return fixture. The opening match received widespread praise and was described by media outlets around the world as the “match of the century”.

Platini, however, took the opposite view and said he preferred the second leg.

“I preferred the 1-1 draw in the return match,” said the former UEFA president.

The 70-year-old, who won the Ballon d’Or three times, argued that moments without goals could be just as memorable as those that put the ball in the net.

“A beautiful defensive intervention and a superb save by the goalkeeper are no less beautiful than scoring a goal,” he said.

He then delivered his sharpest criticism of the encounter.

“Goalkeepers have become like sieves and defenders even more so. How can they concede nine goals and call it the match of the century?”

Platini added: “We are truly living in an age of spectacle now.”

His comments reflect a broader disagreement over what makes a football match outstanding. A high-scoring game may offer drama and excitement, but Platini believes that the ability to defend, prevent chances and produce technically demanding moments should not be overlooked.

Despite the strength of his criticism, Platini accepted that his assessment was not necessarily the definitive judgement on football. The sport has a vast and expanding audience, and supporters can hold very different opinions about what makes a match entertaining or exceptional.

“There are two billion people talking about football and expressing their feelings,” he said. “I am just one person among them, and I may not always be right.”