Real Madrid vs PSG LIVE: Champions League result and final score after Karim Benzema hat-trick
Relive all the action as two of Europe’s footballing heavyweights met in an epic encounter
Karim Benzema’s sensational second-half treble sent Real Madrid through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Paris St Germain.
The 2020 runners-up looked set for a place in the last eight at half-time with Kylian Mbappe on target again having scored the only goal at Parc des Princes last month.
Fellow Frenchman Benzema stole the show though with a hat-trick after the break and his final two goals were separated by just 106 seconds in a 3-1 win that left Mauricio Pochettino’s men stunned with the pressure now ramped up on the former Tottenham boss.
Relive all the action from the Bernabeu:
Real Madrid vs PSG
Real Madrid need to win tonight’s game. They have been knocked out at the round of 16 in two of their last three Champions League campaigns, reaching the semi-finals before losing to Chelsea last year.
Madrid went on a six year run of last-16 exits in the late noughties but thought they had banished that trend when they reached three consecutive finals in 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18. Under threat of their last-16 woes resurfacing the last player the Spanish giants would want to see at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is Lionel Messi.
Messi is the Champions League’s most prolific round of 16 goalscorer and a veteran of 45 Clásico matches during his career with Barcelona.
The 2010/11 season was notable for Madrid finally ending their terrible run of six consecutive last-16 exits, before Barcelona stood in their way for a place in the final.
Messi scored two goals in the final 15 minutes to silence the Santiago Bernabeu. That was 11 years ago though, can he roll back the clock again tonight?
Real Madrid vs PSG
Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti, acknowledges that his team didn’t play well against PSG when the teams met for the first leg in Paris but after three weeks of training he believes that his team go out and overturn their one-goal deficit this evening saying:
We’ve worked really well on the physical side of our game over the past three weeks. We didn’t play well in Paris, but we’re confident and have faith that we can put in a really good performance on Wednesday night."
Real Madrid vs PSG: The first leg
Paris Saint-Germain dominated for long periods but came up against a resolute Real Madrid side who looked to have gone to the French capital determined not to play themselves out of the tie.
After Thibaut Courtois saved Lionel Messi’s second-half penalty, it appeared that they would return to Spain on level terms but Kylian Mbappé had other ideas.
He scored in the 94th minute of the game to give PSG a famous win and a one-goal advantage heading into tonight’s fixture.
Real Madrid vs PSG
Carlo Ancelotti spoke about the possibility of Toni Kroos playing for Real Madrid this evening claiming that the 32-year-old would only feature if he is 100% recovered from his injury. The Real boss said:
If I think he is at 100% he will play. If he is at 95%, he won’t.
"We were not able to play how we wanted [in the first leg] and what we suffered from the most was the pressure from PSG.
"We are convinced that the best Real Madrid can compete with the best PSG. We saw the best version of PSG in Paris. I wish to see the best version of Real Madrid on Wednesday."
Real Madrid vs PSG: Barcelona president doesn’t regret letting Lionel Messi leave for PSG
Barcelona president Joan Laporta says that he does “not regret” the decision to allow Lionel Messi to leave the Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
Messi had spent more than 20 years at the Catalan club, but after Barcelona fell into financial difficulties the terms of a new deal could not be realised, and the forward was able to leave as a free agent.
The Argentina captain has since secured a seventh Ballon d’Or despite enduring an injury-disrupted first season in the French capital.
Barcelona president doesn’t regret letting Lionel Messi leave for PSG
Messi spent more than 20 years at Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain last summer
Real Madrid vs PSG
Kylian Mbappe has been included Paris St-Germain’s squad for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at Real Madrid despite nursing a foot injury.
Mbappe could play despite a knock in training but Sergio Ramos has been ruled out of facing his former employers.
For Madrid Casemiro misses out through suspension and fellow midfielder Toni Kroos (hamstring) is also a doubt. Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde may start in their place
Real Madrid vs PSG
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Real Madrid’s Champions League last 16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain in what is a huge clash between two of European football’s elite at the Bernabeu.
An early exit would be a bitter blow to both teams, who are both expected to challenge for the Champions League title every season.
There is even more pressure on PSG, and manager Mauricio Pochettino, as the French club aim to win the competition for the first time but they will take a one-goal lead into the match thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s late winner at the Parc des Princes last month.
Mbappe has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid and will face a late fitness test to see if he is to line up alongside Neymar and Lionel Messi - who is returning to Madrid for the first time since leaving rivals Barcelona last summer.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments