Real Madrid 3-1 PSG:
Real Madrid came back from a two-goal deficit against PSG to secure a place in the last eight of the Champions League.
Real Madrid beat PSG 3-1 in an incredible 3-2 victory in the last 16 of the Champions League, with Karim Benzema scoring a stunning hat-trick.
Kylian Mbappe, who is expected to move to Madrid as a free transfer at the end of the season, says PSG took two goals at the end of the first half to clear Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He is the second top scorer in Ligue 1 with 157 goals.
Benzema led the Los Blancos attack in the second half but was caught by Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 61st minute.
He then went on to reach the quarter-finals with two goals in two minutes to the surprise of Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
In the 13th minute, Mbappe’s tight corner was saved by Thibaut Courtois’ foot and the first clear goal of the match.
A save from Donnarumma’s fine fingertips prevented Benzema’s effort from finding the right corner early in the first half, and after an offside call with Nuno Mendes, Mbappe blocked it before the goal.
Do not deny it six minutes before the interval. However, he crossed the World Cup winner’s first cross and curled up near the Courtois post in the penalty area.
Mbappe was thought to have doubled PSG’s fortunes shortly after the restart, but was turned down again by an offside ball after turning around.
Madrid narrowed the deficit in the 61st minute when Benzema headed in a cross from Vinicius Jr. after a poor shot from France international Donnarumma
In the 76th minute, Benzema was sent off for a clever cross from Luka Modric and his side drew with a defensive cross.
PSG then missed a free-kick, and the stunning striker returned with a flick of Vinicius’ crossbar to create a happy scene in Santiago Bernabeu.
Leonardo has updated Pochettino, saying PSG ‘should not be restarted’ after Madrid’s defeat:
Leonardo insists PSG need to make changes but will not be able to rebuild Real Madrid after leaving the Champions League.
PSG sporting director Leonardo says now is not the time to discuss Pochettino’s future and that the club does not need to restart after the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
While Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the first half at Santiago Bernabeu, PSG struggled to reach the quarter-finals.
However, thanks to a 17-minute hat-trick from Karim Benzema, the Ligue 1 leaders were knocked out of the Champions League after winning the fourth leg for the fourth time, with Madrid leaving just six times.
Benzema has claimed that PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a mistake in the first half of his three goals, but Leonardo has admitted that he needed a change but not a big rebuild.
It’s a blow,” Leonardo told RMC Sport after PSG’s 3-2 aggregate reverse.
“We can’t bury everything that has been done. It’s difficult to analyse.
“The foul on Donnarumma was decisive, but we had difficulty managing this moment. We lost control, we have to look for solutions. It’s a shame that a decision is decisive in this kind of moment, but we have to keep calm.
“We made mistakes, we have to change things, but we don’t have to review everything.
“We must not throw everything away and put everything in the trash. We must not start all over again from scratch with each defeat.
“The objective is to win the Champions League, and until half-time of this match we were good.”
The defeat is sure to cast doubt on the future of Pochettino, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the off-season.
However, Leonardo insists the former Tottenham Hotspur boss is at least part of their plans at the moment.
“We must stay together. Pochettino is still in the project for this season,” he added.
“This is not the time to think about that (the coach’s future).”
