PSG had one foot in the Champions League quarterfinal after Kylian Mbappé put the 2-0 up on aggregate, but it was a familiar story. A Benzema hat trick ignited their self destructive tendencies, and PSG fell apart in Madrid.
Real Madrid won the series 3-2 on total goals thanks to a furious response that was ignited by a controversial play. Big-money Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma gave away the ball on a shoulder challenge from Benzema and then watch the ball come back to Benzema for the first goal. PSG felt Donnarumma was fouled, but the referee didn’t concur and the momentum shift was palpable as the visitors proceeded to crumble.
It was looking so promising for PSG, who were a threat on the counter in the first half. The Mbappe goal came off one of those moves with Neymar providing the service. Mbappe had the pace to bear down on goal, and finish past Real Madrid ‘keeper Thibaut Courtois.
