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sport">PSG started with the well-prepared Kylian Mbappé at the kick-off, but without Georginio Wijnaldum in the first eleven. The Orange midfielder was again allowed to take a seat on the bench, just like Xavi Simons. They both stayed in their track jackets for 90 minutes.
sport">Real Madrid immediately made the intentions clear with high pressure, while PSG mainly bet on the counter with the super trio Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi. The former had the best chance after 14 minutes, but his shot hit the Belgian closing post Thibaut Courtois.
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Mbappe was regularly elusive
Ⓒ ANP/HH
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Makes you think
sport">In any case, the match was worth watching for the first half hour, especially compared to the first leg in Paris. An old-fashioned combination between Neymar and Messi was just missed by the Argentinian.
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sport">Not much later, Mbappé thought he could score, but teammate Nuno Mendes turned out to have been offside. Arbiter Makkelie had to reject the goal. A minute later, Benzema was allowed to head in freely, but The Benz aimed over the target. The Frenchman did this again a few minutes later, but now just wide. That he could head in twice as freely should give the French defense something to think about.
Mbappe elusive
sport">However, PSG did take the lead. Dani Carvajal lost the ball clumsily in midfield and Mbappe was stabbed by Neymar. The French star then shot low under Courtois: 0-1. It is precisely Mbappe, who is still expected to trade in Paris for Madrid next summer.
sport">After the tea break, Mbappé scored again, but again it was offside. It remained 0-1 and the Royal still needed two hits for at least extra time. The possession was there, but the danger of the elusive Mbappé in the counter was also there.
fumbling Donnarumma
sport">There was actually nothing in the air, until PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma decided to dawdle with the ball at his foot. Benzema put pressure, the Italian could only just half clear the ball. Via Vinicius Jr. the ball ended up at Benzema: 1-1.
sport">Real smelled blood and Benzema again headed just wide. Vinicius had his chance in the 73rd minute, but he weakly tapped the ball with his left. The PSG defense looked very shaky in this encounter. The 2-1 was therefore inevitable. Luka Modric gave a sublime through ball to Benzema, who turned briefly and hit the target.
sport">A minute later, Bernabeu was upside down. Almost from the kick-off PSG lost the ball and Vinicius was able to advance towards the box. Marquinhos thought to clear the ball cleverly through the middle, where Benzema, however, was standing. The Frenchman had his sights sharp and completed his hat-trick: 3-1 in the 78th minute.
sport">Messi blasted a free kick from afar, but the Champions League adventure of the PSG stars was over. And that, while Real Madrid seemed dead and buried.
Goalkeeper Courtois of Real continued to believe in victory over PSG
sport">Goalkeeper Courtois said shortly after the sensational victory over Paris Saint-Germain (3-1) in the eighth finals of the Champions League that he had never lost faith in success. “A match always lasts 90 minutes. Especially for an opponent in Bernabéu.”
sport">Real fell behind before half time, after also losing the first game in Paris (0-1). Karim Benzema then scored three times for the home team. The 3-1 was enough for the next round. “With Benzema we have the best ‘number 9’ in the world”, said the Belgian. “He proved that again tonight.”
sport">For a long time Real seemed hopeless. “But we knew we didn’t stand a chance,” Courtois continued. “After the break we had good pressing, much better than in the first game. We forced the equalizer. After the 1-1 they got upset, then we could strike. It’s a great win and it was an amazing night.”
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