Julian Nagelsmann felt his team deserved to lose after two Exequiel Palacios penalties condemned Bayern Munich to a 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at BayArena on Sunday.

After title rivals Borussia Dortmund picked up three points on Saturday to move them top, a 22nd-minute deflected goal from Joshua Kimmich looked to have set Bayern on their way to retaking their position at the summit.

But Palacios converted twice from the spot after the break, both for fouls on Amine Adli, to inflict a third league defeat of the season on Bayern and hand Dortmund the advantage ahead of the pair's table-topping Klassiker after the upcoming international break.

Nagelsmann had no complaints with the defeat or the penalty decisions, both of which saw Adli initially handed a yellow card for diving until a VAR review intervened to award a spot-kick.

"I saw relatively quickly that both are penalties," Nagelsmann told DAZN after the game. "They definitely weren't dives.

"We deserved to lose. Except for the last ten minutes, we were the worse team. 

"We did a lot on our own. A lot of pressing by ourselves, a lot of walking by ourselves."

Nagelsmann blamed fatigue for the below-par display, which saw them lose a Bundesliga game after leading at half-time for the first time in 87 matches since a 3-1 defeat against Leverkusen in February 2019.

"Today we were pretty sluggish overall," Nagelsmann added. "We won very few duels up front, but also in defence.

"We have some exhausted players, so of course it was difficult. We were very weak in our game."

Captain Thomas Muller agreed with his head coach that Bayern's efforts did not warrant anything out of the game, saying: "Leverkusen did very well today.

"Unfortunately, we put very little of what has made us strong in the last few games onto the pitch.

"Looking at the game as a whole, the defeat is unfortunately deserved today."

Though some of his players are now set to jet off to their respective national teams, Nagelsmann's sights are set firmly on that crucial clash with Dortmund in just under two weeks.

He is under no illusion of the importance of that fixture, explaining: "We definitely have to win [against Dortmund], otherwise it will be difficult to win the championship."

Julian Nagelsmann is excited by the opportunity to face Manchester City and Erling Haaland in the Champions League, believing the Norwegian striker could be an even tougher opponent than Kylian Mbappe.

Bayern Munich eliminated Mbappe and Lionel Messi from the tournament when they beat Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, and were drawn to face City in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Should they progress again, Bayern will then go up against holders Real Madrid or Chelsea in the semi-finals, having already faced Inter, Barcelona and PSG in this season's Champions League.

"I think it's a very good draw, a difficult draw but I think if you win the title at the end then you would not like to hear that we were lucky with our draws," Nagelsmann said at a press conference ahead of Bayern's Bundesliga clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

"We want to win it and do it by beating big teams. We've had PSG, we had Inter and Barcelona in the group stage, so now City and then Real Madrid or Chelsea, then probably an Italian opponent in the final, it would be a triumph that would certainly send a big message to everyone.

"It's going to be difficult, we know that... we will prepare well and I think everyone is looking forward to it."

Bayern will need to handle former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland better than RB Leipzig, who conceded five to him in the last-16 second leg at the Etihad Stadium.

"He's a tremendous player, he has great abilities... he's probably a little more physical than Mbappe and certainly comparable in pace," Nagelsmann said. "He has great heart, when he runs it's difficult to defend against him, but we also have a couple of strong offensive players."

The 35-year-old is also an admirer of City boss and former Bayern head coach Pep Guardiola, but said he does not model his ideas on the Spaniard, or indeed, any other coach.

"I saw a lot of games when he was at Barcelona, also at Bayern and City," Nagelsmann said. "I never really copied any things from him, I've never really analysed or copied anything from any other coach.

"Pep's teams are always nice to watch, he always has a nice idea to play football. [City] have a very balanced team."

Julian Nagelsmann is keen to keep in-demand defender Benjamin Pavard at Bayern Munich after he scored twice in the Bundesliga leaders' thrilling 5-3 win over Augsburg on Saturday.

Mergim Berisha opened the scoring for Augsburg early on, but Bayern surged into a 4-1 lead by the break as Joao Cancelo and Leroy Sane struck either side of Pavard's brace.

While Berisha sealed his own double after the interval and Irvin Cardona also netted late on, Alphonso Davies' goal ensured Bayern sealed a fourth successive win in relative comfort.

Last November, Pavard discussed the possibility of leaving Bayern for a new project, and with the France international's contract due to expire next year, he has been linked with Barcelona, Inter and Manchester United.

Having seen the 26-year-old mark his 150th competitive Bayern outing with his first double for the club, Nagelsmann said: "Of course I want to keep Benjamin at Bayern. 

"Playing in that position that he loves as a centre-back… he played very well today. So yes, I'd love to keep him."

Despite seeing Augsburg put to the sword in a typically ruthless Bayern performance, Nagelsmann was not impressed with some aspects of the hosts' display.  

"I'm happy with the result. It's job done today, that was important," Nagelsmann said.

"It was very similar to the game in the DFB-Pokal against Augsburg [a 5-2 win in October], it was a bit chaotic right from the start. We conceded the goal right away.

"Then we played really well for 30 minutes, everything was done well on our offensive side. In the second half, we did not have as much control or pressure any more.

"The game was a little bit too open in my opinion, we could have scored a couple more goals, but the result is above everything. 

"Not everything was perfect on the offensive or defensive side, but all in all, it's all about the three points."

Leroy Sane was hailed by Julian Nagelsmann as "one of the best players in Europe" as the Bayern Munich head coach defended the winger on Friday.

It was reported Sane was slightly late for the start of training on the eve of this weekend's Bundesliga game against Augsburg, and that it could cost him a club fine.

There is a strong chance of Sane starting that match on Saturday, as head coach Julian Nagelsmann gives some a rest after the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Germany winger Sane has started just 13 of Bayern's 23 domestic league games this season, with Nagelsmann having such an array of talent in attacking midfield roles he has to mix and match.

Similar applies to Serge Gnabry, who like Sane appeared as a substitute in the 2-0 victory over PSG that carried Bayern through to the quarter-finals as 3-0 aggregate winners.

"Each player has their own character. It is important that you respect, accept and deal with the characteristics of the players," Nagelsmann said. "Leroy and Serge have exceptional skills."

On Sane, Nagelsmann said: "His style polarises. I always try to support him. I'm not one to try to change players' characters. He is one of the best players in Europe. We need him.

"The same applies to Serge. They must be aware of their abilities. Both of them say that they can be decision-makers at important moments."

They, along with Sadio Mane and Mathys Tel, are pushing for selection as Nagelsmann must cope without striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting due to injury, while Thomas Muller could take a rest.

Gnabry's late goal against PSG in the second leg capped off a successful tie for Bayern, as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe were kept off the scoresheet over 180 minutes.

Bayern lost 1-0 to Augsburg in September, an early season jolt for the reigning champions who find themselves in a battle for the title with Borussia Dortmund, both teams having 49 points from 23 games.

Joao Cancelo was also only used as a substitute against PSG, with the on-loan Manchester City full-back having yet to ink his place in the Bayern starting XI.

Nagelsmann is open about the fact Cancelo makes his disappointment known when not selected.

"When he plays everything is fine, and when he doesn't play he's not happy. That's normal too," Nagelsmann said. "He's always had a good reaction.

"One training session wasn't that good, but afterwards we had a very good conversation. The conversation was very open and did him a lot of good.

"He's happy again on the pitch. His game is characterised by a certain joy and lightness, which he now has again. So I assume that I will reward him for the good impressions I had of him in training. I'm sure that what he did well in training, he will also do well in the game."

Choupo-Moting has been performing at a high level since taking on the task of leading Bayern's attack, filling the Robert Lewandowski role after his departure for Barcelona.

He has 19 goals this season, but a back problem, which Nagelsmann said was also affecting his leg muscles, keeps him out of contention to face Augsburg.

The coach reported Muller, Matthijs de Ligt, Kingsley Coman and Leon Goretzka have shown signs of fatigue.

"We don't yet know who can start," Nagelsmann said. "We will decide tomorrow how fit everyone is. We'll have to make a few changes because not everyone is at 100 per cent."

Thomas Muller acknowledged Bayern Munich needed some good fortune to overcome Paris Saint-Germain and reach the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Julian Nagelsmann's side were indebted to Matthijs de Ligt's goal-line clearance from Vitinha in the first half at Allianz Arena after Yann Sommer's error offered the PSG midfielder an open goal.

De Ligt subsequently hooked off the line, keeping Bayern 1-0 ahead in the tie after Kingsley Coman's first-leg strike, before Nagelsmann's men seized control of the return meeting.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting came back to haunt his former side PSG with a second-half strike before Serge Gnabry sealed progression, though Muller was thankful for the fine margins fell for Bayern.

"You have to be honest, in a football game like this there are always moments when you need luck on your side," Muller told DAZN.

"We had that one moment when Yann loses the ball, which Matt clears the ball on the line. If it goes to 1-0 there, you don't know how the teams will react to that.

"But we shed our shyness in the second half in particular, we were clearer in defence, so we played the better game in the second half and deserved to win."

A 3-0 aggregate triumph saw Bayern progress to the Champions League quarter-finals for the 21st time, no other club has managed to reach the last eight as often.

A battling performance, coupled with clinical finishing, marked continued progression under Nagelsmann, whose side have put a poor start to 2023 behind them to fight back in the Bundesliga title race.

Nagelsmann was disappointed with what he saw in the first half as PSG twice went close to levelling the tie on aggregate, but the Bayern coach was impressed with his team's second-half response.

"In the first half we did what we discussed before the game wrong, PSG pulled a lot of players into the build-up, we then let ourselves be pulled into position, were too impatient," he told DAZN.

"The spaces were too big. We had a lot of space with the ball, but we were too scared.

"We didn't do that anymore in the second half, we won the ball well and gained a lot of depth down the right. We were clearly better in the second half and deserved to win."

Julian Nagelsmann says Neymar's absence for Paris Saint-Germain "does not change much" in terms of Bayern Munich's approach heading into Wednesday's showdown.

Bayern welcome PSG to the Allianz Arena boasting a 1-0 advantage from last month's Champions League last-16 first leg, courtesy of Kingsley Coman's second-half goal.

Neymar failed to have much of an impact in the reverse fixture, whereas Mbappe caused Bayern's defenders plenty of problems in the final 30 minutes after being brought on.

The France international, returning from a thigh injury ahead of schedule, forced Yann Sommer into a good save and had a couple of goals ruled out for offside.

With Mbappe now fit enough to play a full part, Nagelsmann believes PSG will cope just fine without Neymar, who has been ruled out for the season with an ankle injury.

"It doesn't change much," Nagelsmann said at Tuesday's pre-match press conference when asked about Neymar being ruled out. 

"Mbappe plays from the start – that changes something. PSG have a clear idea with Lionel Messi and Mbappe up front. We have to prevent passes to Messi. 

"We also have to be patient. We know we can't defend every attack, so Yann will also have a part to play in goal."

Mbappe has 30 goals in 30 games this season – only Manchester City striker Erling Haaland can better that tally across Europe's top five leagues, with 33 goals in 34 games.

The 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner is aiming to become the first ever player to score in three successive visits to Bayern in the Champions League.

He claimed last week that PSG remain favourites to advance to the quarter-finals, despite being a goal down, but Bayern attacker Thomas Muller does not agree.

"Everyone can assess that for themselves," he said. "We won the first leg 1-0; I think that's an advantage. 

"But a one-goal deficit can always be caught up in football. I understand his opinion, he has a lot of self-confidence.

"He is a player who poses a threat to us. You have to think about how to prevent this. It's still a team sport. We have to block the passes and be courageous in duels."

While there is no questioning the quality of Messi and Mbappe in PSG's attack, they have struggled defensively at times this season.

Indeed, the Ligue 1 leaders are the only side left in the Champions League yet to keep a clean sheet in the competition this campaign.

"Their defence isn't a weakness," Nagelsmann said. "We have developed an idea for tomorrow in terms of how we can hurt them.

"We don't want to focus just on defending our lead; we want to also score goals ourselves."

Bayern have been eliminated just twice on the 22 previous occasions they have won the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie.

Julian Nagelsmann and Leon Goretzka urged Bayern Munich to become more ruthless after escaping with a 2-1 victory in Saturday's match at lowly Stuttgart.

Bayern held a convincing two-goal lead at Mercedes-Benz Arena with a little over an hour played after Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting added to Matthijs de Ligt's first-half opener.

The visitors took their foot off the gas at that point, and it almost backfired as Juan Jose Perea pulled one back late on and Tanguy Coulibaly headed inches wide in added time.

Despite finishing with an expected goals (xG) return of 2.30 compared to 0.67 for Stuttgart, Nagelsmann conceded Bayern almost blew it.

"After going 2-0 up, we had several counter-attacks we didn't finish well," he told Sky Sport. "We had the game under control, but if you concede late on, things gets tight again.

"We have to finish our chances better and go for the third goal, then we'd kill it off."

Goretzka, who accumulated a game-high xG of 0.54 without scoring, agreed with his manager's assessment.

"We made a few mistakes after going 2-0 up," he said. "The opponent didn't believe they could get something out of the game after going 2-0 down.

"We have to act accordingly, but we didn't manage to do that in the last 15 minutes."

Thomas Muller, whose assist for Choupo-Moting's strike was his 300th direct goal involvement in the Bundesliga, looked to take positives from his side's sluggish finish.

"We're happy. We won and we're top of the table again," Muller said. "When FC Bayern is up there, I always have a good feeling.

"The fact that the game got tight at the end is maybe a good test for the Champions League game against PSG."

Bayern lead that last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 heading into Wednesday's second leg at the Allianz Arena thanks to Kingsley Coman's goal in the reverse fixture.

Asked if he intends to stick with the same line-up that started against Stuttgart, Nagelsmann gave little away.

"I have to analyse and see how PSG are doing, then I'll decide," he said.

Bayern have now won four of their past five league matches and are above Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table by virtue of a superior goal difference.

The 10-in-a-row champions have won 13 away game on the spin against Stuttgart, who are one of four sides on 19 points at the bottom of the division.

"It was an important win for us," said Choupo-Moting, who signed a new contract on Friday. "Of course we didn't play our best game, and we can improve a few things.

"The opponent didn't give up and made it difficult. After their goal, you could feel the atmosphere in the stadium and that they were hoping for a point."

Julian Nagelsmann knows Bayern Munich could slip up if they are not at full throttle when they face Stuttgart due to having one eye on a showdown with Paris Saint-Germain next week.

Borussia Dortmund can replace Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga table if they avoid defeat against RB Leipzig on Friday.

Bayern will be looking for a 13th consecutive away victory over Stuttgart and go into Saturday's game on the back of a 3-0 win over third-placed Union Berlin.

The Bavarian giants will then take on PSG in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie next Wednesday and hold a 1-0 lead courtesy of Kingsley Coman's goal at the Parc des Princes.

Bayern head coach Nagelsmann says there is no chance the reigning champions will take Stuttgart lightly as they battle to retain the title.

He said: "Of course it's an important game [against PSG]. We're in a good position and want to go through. Now Stuttgart is important because we don't have a 10-point lead. The next game is always the most important."

Nagelsmann added: "It doesn't make much sense to slow down tomorrow because we have an important game on Wednesday. Unfortunately, our situation in the Bundesliga doesn't allow us to give anything away. We'll give it our all tomorrow."

Sadio Mane returned from a knee injury as a substitute in the win over Union Berlin and Nagelsmann plans to give the former Liverpool forward another run-out this weekend.

He said: "He's making a good impression. We will try and give him more minutes. It was a serious injury, but his fitness levels are good. Sadio is part of the usual battle for places."

Bayern will check on Leroy Sane's fitness as the winger has been struggling with an ankle injury.

Stuttgart boss Bruno Labbadia has lost all 16 competitive matches against Bayern in his coaching career, but his side have won four of their last six home games in the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich are planning for a "long future" with Julian Nagelsmann regardless of Bundesliga success this term, club president Herbert Hainer suggested.

The Bundesliga champions are embroiled in one of the tightest title races Germany has seen for years, joint-top of the table with Borussia Dortmund and only three points ahead of Union Berlin.

A defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach in mid-February handed Bayern a setback, though they returned to winning ways against Union at the weekend.

For Nagelsmann, it is among the toughest periods he has faced in charged at Allianz Arena, but Hainer has no reservations about his place in the dugout.

"He learns something new every day and will learn from difficult situations," Hainer told Sky Sport Deutschland. "He will gain experience; I know that from my own professional situation.

"Whenever it matters, he delivers for the team. We are planning for a long future with him."

Regardless of that security, Hainer remains convinced Nagelsmann can deliver another title this term for the Bavarian giants, even with Dortmund and Union breathing down their necks.

"The whole of Germany wanted a more exciting competition in the Bundesliga," he added. "We certainly have that now.

"But I'm very optimistic. We're top of the table, and we still have to play Dortmund in our own stadium. You saw what the team was capable of on Sunday [against Union]."

Bayern also remain in the mix for the Champions League, with a 1-0 advantage over Paris Saint-Germain ahead of next week's last-16 second leg.

Hainer feels they will progress in that competition as well, adding: "We're in a good starting position after the 1-0 win.

"The players I speak to tell me how hot they are. They want to do better than last year."

Thomas Muller showed he remains indispensable to Bayern Munich as the veteran was thankful to play a full part in the 3-0 demolition of Union Berlin.

With two assists, setting up goals for Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala, the old man of Bayern's midfield showed he can still deliver at the cutting edge.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting got the first goal, with Bayern three to the good by the interval and the game essentially won. Musiala's goal came on his 20th birthday, and the win came in the wake of a midweek team get-together amid a results crisis.

With Muller captaining the side in the absence of injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, he found himself sacrificed just 16 minutes into Bayern's previous Bundesliga game at Borussia Monchengladbach after defender Dayot Upamecano was sent off.

Julian Nagelsmann sent on Joao Cancelo to strengthen the backline, and Bayern went on to lose 3-2 on that occasion as the 33-year-old Muller watched powerlessly, frustrated to have been hauled off so early.

"It's clear that I didn't enjoy it," he said of that experience on Sunday, looking back.

But Muller stressed it also "wasn't a huge issue", telling DAZN: "The coach made the decision and of course every player – including me – always has the feeling that he can give the team something, even if he's outnumbered, to win a game.

"We want to win a lot and it's also about everyone accepting tough decisions in the interests of the team and showing the reaction the next day in training – and not showing off in any way."

Bayern's players gathered together this week for an evening team meeting, head coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed.

It came amid their dip in results, with Union and Borussia Dortmund joining leaders Bayern on the same points mark heading into the latest round of games, putting hopes of an 11th consecutive title in some peril.

However, Bayern swept Union aside dismissively, and while Muller came off for a rest in the 87th minute, it was with the job done and to acclaim. The meeting seems to have had a positive effect already.

Dortmund continue to keep pace with Bayern, and there is a Klassiker coming up that could tilt the title race either way, but Bayern showed enough against Union to suggest they are moving in the right direction again.

The expected goals comparison between the teams underlined Bayern's dominance, with Nagelsmann's team posting xG of 3.56 to Union's meagre 0.35, reflecting the quality and volume of the chances that came their way.

Quoted further on Bayern's official website, Muller said Bayern's display against Union was "really lively".

"For example, the way we managed to break free in attack. We need to be active like that," he said. "We were always on the move and aggressive in the tackle. For me, it was a lot of fun to be so involved in such moments. It was a good game.

"We weren't top at kick-off, so had to do something about that. It was a good step but counts for nothing next week. We have to deliver again. I'm happy we made that step. You have to play that way against Union. It was the first small step towards the kind of football we want to play."

Nagelsmann described Bayern's win as a "benchmark" result.

He added: "We were dominant in all areas. We had 10-12 big chances and gave little away.

"Union are not a team that give you many chances – that in itself makes it a good performance from us. We trained well and talked a lot. We wanted to show what we expect of ourselves. We played very well today."

Confirming the players' meeting, Nagelsmann said: "There was a team evening, which is nothing earth-shattering, but where the team talked about what they wanted. I think it bore fruit today.

"The medicine at Bayern is easy to administer: you just have to win, then it's always calm. If you don't win, there's never calm."

Thomas Muller will start Bayern Munich's clash with title rivals Union Berlin on Sunday after he was hauled off early on in the defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach.

Head coach Julian Nagelsmann replaced captain Muller with Joao Cancelo after just 16 minutes against Monchengladbach, making a tactical substitution with Bayern a goal behind and down to 10 men after Dayot Upamecano's early red card.

The champions went on to lose 3-2, another blow to their hopes of winning an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title as their challengers made ground.

Nagelsmann's decision to replace veteran Muller so early came under scrutiny after the match, having also chosen to start him on the bench for Bayern's 1-0 Champions League first-leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

With the Bavarian side facing shock title challengers Union this weekend, Nagelsmann confirmed the 33-year-old will be in the starting XI.

"Thomas is a very experienced player, he was told why the decision was made," Nagelsmann said at his pre-match press conference. "You can always discuss it afterwards. I spoke to Thomas at length and clearly he is not happy.

"He is very professional and an important player. His importance is huge because it goes beyond the game itself. He will start on Sunday. He is aware of the overall situation."

The slip-up against Monchengladbach allowed Borussia Dortmund and Union to both pull level on points with Bayern at the top, though the champions' goal difference means they clung onto their position at the summit.

Nagelsmann's men have picked up just nine of a possible 18 points since the turn of the year, while Sunday's opponents have taken 16 over the same period.

A tricky encounter is expected against Union, who have never won a Bundesliga match against Bayern in seven attempts.

"I'm expecting a top game," Nagelsmann said. "Union always bring their football onto the pitch, designed for counter-attacks, with their physicality. It's always uncomfortable to play them.

"It will definitely be an exciting and interesting game, hopefully with a better outcome for us."

Nagelsmann revealed Bayern could be boosted by the return at some point in the game of Sadio Mane, who has been absent since early November after suffering a leg injury that ruled him out of Senegal's World Cup campaign.

"Sadio Mane isn't fit enough to start," Nagelsmann added. "But he is an option that we're really happy about."

Julian Nagelsmann has been ordered to explain his behaviour towards the match officials after Bayern Munich's 3-2 defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach.

The German Football Association (DFB) will receive an official letter from disciplinary chiefs this week and his response will dictate whether further action follows.

Nagelsmann was left furious by Dayot Upamecano's red card in the eighth minute of Saturday's Bundesliga game, after the French defender tangled with Alassane Plea.

It was reported after the final whistle that Nagelsmann confronted referee Tobias Welz, reportedly storming through the media area to loudly knock on the official's door.

Nagelsmann described the red-card incident to reporters as "a minimal touch", but he has admitted he went overboard when confronting Welz and the referee's assistants.

Now the fiery reaction could see him facing punishment, with the DFB saying in a statement it was investigating Nagelsmann for "unsportsmanlike comments".

"As a first step, Julian Nagelsmann will be written to by the control committee at the beginning of the new week and asked to comment on the alleged incident," the DFB said.

"After the statement has been received and evaluated, the committee will decide on the further progress of the procedure."

Nagelsmann posted an apology on Twitter after the game, writing: "Emotions are part of sport. And given the red card, I had to vent after the game.

"However, I have to apologise for the choice of words to the team around Tobias Welz. Unfortunately I went too far there."

Julian Nagelsmann was left furious by Dayot Upamecano's red card as Bayern Munich suffered a 3-2 Bundesliga defeat at Borussia Monchengladbach.

Upamecano was sent off in the eighth minute after being adjudged to have brought down Alassane Plea, who got goal-side of the centre-back after a hopeful long ball.

Goals from Lars Stindl, Jonas Hofmann and Marcus Thuram lifted Gladbach to a deserved win. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting equalised after Stindl's opener for Bayern, but Mathys Tel's late strike was scant consolation.

The defeat leaves Bayern in danger of being knocked down to second place when Union Berlin face Schalke on Sunday, while Borussia Dortmund will have the chance to move level on points with Nagelsmann's Bavarians when they host Hertha Berlin.

But Nagelsmann seemed less concerned with Bayern's league position than confronting referee Tobias Welz, reportedly storming through the media area after the game to loudly knock on the match official's door.

Afterwards, he told Sky: "In my eyes, Upa has only a minimal touch on his shoulder, but he doesn't pull.

"And you can see in the slow motion that Plea's shoulder does not move back a millimetre."

Insisting Welz should have explained himself, Nagelsmann added: "You can decide all this, but maybe you could stand up after the game and say that the red card might have been a bit exaggerated.

"Everyone can live with it, he is also a person who sometimes makes mistakes."

Bayern's Alphonso Davies, meanwhile, expressed pride in the spirit they showed after going down to 10 men.

"It's tough having a red card so early in the match," Davies told Bundesliga.com.

"It's not good for any team, but we just kept fighting, we kept playing the way we knew how to play. We continued on.

"I mean, it's unfortunate with the red card. You know, it can happen to anyone. We don't put our head down. We kept our head up, we kept fighting."

Sadio Mane will return to Bayern Munich training on Sunday having missed three months with a fibula injury, but fellow forward Kingsley Coman will miss Saturday's trip to Borussia Monchengladbach.

Mane missed Senegal's run to the last 16 of the World Cup in Qatar after being required to undergo surgery in November.

Last month, coach Julian Nagelsmann suggested the former Liverpool man could be fit to feature in Bayern's Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain, but he was not involved as the Bundesliga champions claimed a 1-0 first-leg lead in the French capital on Tuesday.

Mane is making progress in his recovery, though, and Nagelsmann believes heck could be involved in a matchday squad after as little as one week of full training.

"He will return to team training on Sunday," Nagelsmann said of Mane on Friday. "He doesn't have any problems anymore, and his rehab was built to give him a regular workload.

"He has to get back his technical and tactical feelings with the team, but he's experienced, and he will be back rather quickly.

"Theoretically, he could play again after being back in team training for a week."

Having Mane involved again will be a huge boost for the Bundesliga leaders, who take on second-placed Union Berlin after facing Monchengladbach.

However, Bayern will be without Coman at Borussia-Park on Saturday, with the Frenchman complaining of a calf issue after scoring the only goal of the game against former club PSG.

"Kingsley Coman will not be available, he will get back to practice at the start of next week," Nagelsmann said. "Serge Gnabry will play tomorrow. He played a lot before Christmas and scored a lot. 

"You need a good first XI that suits the opponent, but you also need good players that you can add to the mix. It always has to be a good balance."

Bayern's meeting with Gladbach will see goalkeeper Yann Sommer reunited with his former club, having made the move to Bavaria to cover for the injured Manuel Neuer in January.

"I'm very happy with his overall game. Against Paris, he was really called upon dramatically," Nagelsmann said of Sommer, who has kept three clean sheets in his last four games for Bayern.

"The goals he conceded in the Bundesliga were not easy. With the ball, with his presence, he's a really important part of the team. 

"It will be a special game for him, against his former club. They will say farewell to him ahead of this game, and it will be a special moment, but he's not 18 years of age, so he will be able to put that aside and deliver a strong performance."

Julian Nagelsmann and Bayern Munich were surprised they were allowed to be so dominant in their 1-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

In one of the ties of the last 16 in the Champions League, Bayern headed to Paris to take on a PSG side who were only able to name Kylian Mbappe on the bench.

Until Mbappe was introduced shortly after Kingsley Coman's decisive goal early in the second half, Bayern were in complete control.

The Bundesliga champions bossed 57.5 per cent of the possession in a first half in which they attempted 10 shots to just one from PSG.

Indeed, that PSG attempt, a blocked Lionel Messi free-kick in stoppage time, came after their longest wait for a first shot in a Champions League match since at least 2003-04.

Even with Mbappe missing from the starting XI, Bayern coach Nagelsmann had expected more from the home side.

"We played a really good game in the first 25 minutes, had very good control," he said. "We can play even more direct towards the goal.

"You had the feeling that we were very surprised that we had the ball so much and Paris wanted to do relatively little.

"I knew they always defend deep, but the fact that they're so passive and so very deep and not really designed to win the ball surprised me a bit."

A 1-0 win courtesy of a Coman goal brought back happy memories for Bayern, with the result a repeat of their 2020 final defeat of PSG.

Coman has scored only five knockout goals in the Champions League, but two of them have now come against his former club.

"I was born here in Paris. That's why I didn't cheer after my goal," the winger explained of his muted celebration. "We're happy that we won."

Coman completed a half-century of Champions League appearances and celebrated his 39th win in the competition, a record for a player at the 50-game stage.

However, he had to be withdrawn later in the second half due to injury.

"I have some calf problems," Coman said. "I got a blow to the ankle, but I hope it's only a few days."