A Karim Benzema hat-trick in the second half of the second leg saw Real Madrid rise from the dead to beat PSG 3-2 on aggregate and progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
PSG won the first leg 1-0 in Paris and Kylian Mbappe scored a superb goal to give them a comfortable 2-0 lead on aggregate at half time in Madrid.
Things looked desperate for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, but PSG somewhat imploded as the finish line approached, with glaring errors in defence handing two goals to Benzema.
The Frenchman produced three good finishes, but Gianluigi Donnarumma dithering on a back pass led to the first goal and a woeful clearance from Marquinhos handed Benzema the third.
Benzema scored all three goals between the 61st and 78th minutes a panic set into the PSG defence and the veteran forward was more than happy to capitalise.
It was a thrilling contest, but PSG’s vulnerabilities shone through again as they crumbled when it really mattered.
The first half started with the home side enjoying more of the ball but PSG looking the more threatening team while playing on the counter-attack.
An early Mbappe break saw him try and square to Neymar, but Thibault Courtois cut it out, while the Belgian saved efforts from both the Frenchman and Brazilian soon after,
Real Madrid had their own chances in the first period, all falling to Benzema, who forced a spectacular diving save from Gianluigi Donnarumma 25 minutes in, before a couple more comfortable saves from headed efforts.
Mbappe had the ball in the back of the net just after the half hour, but it was ruled out for Nuno Mendes being offside before he cut the ball back.
The lethal striker did break the deadlock on 39 minutes,…
Source : metro
