UCL: Brilliant Real Madrid cruise over PSG to progress

Karim Benzama of Real Madrid reacts after scoring during the UEFA Champions League Round Of Sixteen Leg Two match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 09, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. Image credit: Getty Images
Karim Benzama of Real Madrid reacts after scoring during the UEFA Champions League Round Of Sixteen Leg Two match between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 09, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. Image credit: Getty Images

Karim Benzema’s second-half hat-trick turned the tie against Paris St-Germain on its head in one of the most remarkable knock-out games in the history of the Champions League.

PSG were a class above in the first half, with Kylian Mbappe scoring once and he could easily have had another but for a marginal offside.

With a two-goal lead on aggregate the tie looked dead, but then a horrendous error from Gianluigi Donnarumma allowed Vinicius to square for the number nine’s first goal.

In the 77th minute he equalised with a shot slightly deflected off Marquinhos after a fine through ball from Modric and then, remarkably, straight from the kick-off PSG gave the ball away and Marquinhos’ tackle on Vinicius Jr fell straight to the French striker who fired home first time.