A last-minute feat by Kylian Mbappé allowed Paris SG to win a deserved success against Real Madrid (1-0) on Tuesday in a knockout round of the Champions League, also marked by the missed penalty from Lionel Messi. Who else but him? Mbappé unlocked the Madrid lock with a goal (90th + 4) in his image, full of speed and accuracy, which blew up the Parc des Princes. With a dribble, he erased two defenders before unleashing a shot from the right that was too fast for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who had played a perfect game until then.
One of PSG’s best performances this season
The striker rewarded his team’s dominance, in a good position before the return match at the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium on March 9. The Parisians were full of confidence. Generous, applied, combative, the teammates of Marco Verratti, masterful in the midfield, achieved one of their best performances of the season. To his qualities, we must add patience. Like many times in Ligue 1 this season, PSG made the difference in added time, a characteristic to be credited to their self-sacrifice.
Real, which had no chance, despite the presence of its star Karim Benzema, can even be happy with the result. Paris should have scored one or two more goals. Lionel Messi missed a penalty (62nd) which risks weighing heavily when counting in three weeks. The Argentinian, clumsy, was chambered by Real supporters who chanted his name, after a well-placed free kick that the “Pulga” did not target (75th).
The impassable Madrid goalkeeper … until Mbappé
In addition to the deflected penalty, Courtois also made several decisive saves which sickened Mbappé. The French striker, who could join the merengue club when his contract expires in June, has long lacked efficiency (18th, 50th, 74th, 90th), before his flash of genius in additional time. His success will be one of the keys for the Parisians for the second leg in Madrid, where Neymar is expected to start, having started as a substitute on Tuesday.
The Brazilian, who had not played since the end of November due to a sprained left ankle, played the last 20 minutes, the time to distinguish himself with a good breakthrough (75th) and a shot from the side (86th) . Like ‘Ney’, Benzema has three weeks to ramp up before the rematch. Long uncertain due to an injury to the left thigh, the “Nueve” started as a starter after three weeks without playing.
A dominating but predictable PSG
The meeting proved that there was a C1 button in Paris which increased the motivation of the players, criticized for their lack of investment in the league. From the outset, the Parisians put pressure on Real who did not play in the opposing camp during the first half hour. But chase the natural … Despite a large possession, PSG have long been too predictable in their game to shake up the best defense in the group stage. As often this season, the danger came mainly from the left lane, where the accelerations of Nuno Mendes and Mbappé made Dani Carvajal dizzy.
The French striker, served by Messi, had the best chance of the first 45 minutes, but Courtois had the last word in their duel (18th). In the second half, the Belgian goalkeeper intervened again on a powerful strike from Mbappé (50th). Nuno Mendes also stumbled on the wall of Brée (23rd, 52nd).
Lionel Messi missed his penalty
By dint of insisting on this side, a fault ended up being created. Jostled by Carvajal, Mbappé caused a logical penalty (60th), celebrated as a goal by the Parc des Princes. Messi had the key to breaking the Madrid lock. But the Argentinian with seven Ballons d’Or saw his attempt stopped by Courtois, to the chagrin of Parisian supporters. This failure is reminiscent of the one at the Parc last March, when he came with FC Barcelona, already in the round of 16 (return, 1-1). With him, the bad memory of his last European campaigns, the final escaping him since 2015.
The Argentinian, who joined Paris to win the competition, had a difficult evening. Toni Kroos and Casemiro left him almost no space. His compatriot Angel Di Maria was no more successful. But luckily Mbappé was there.