Hat trick in 17 minutes
Benzema’s madness gala takes Real further
03/09/2022, 10:55 p.m
In the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League, Real Madrid must win against Paris St. Germain, the defeat in the first leg weighs heavily. Ironically, Kylian Mbappé makes it even more complicated for the Spaniards, but then Karim Benzema really turns things up. Manchester City meanwhile does not do more than necessary.
The sensational hat-trick scorer Karim Benzema has decided the Champions League giant duel and makes Real Madrid dream of the coronation. The outstanding French striker secured the Spanish record champions 3-1 (0-1) against Paris St. Germain with three goals within 17 minutes and made it into the quarter-finals. PSG won the first leg 1-0.
Kylian Mbappé, that was the very bad news for Real at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, got fit in time and completed the dream storm again with Lionel Messi and Neymar. Due to his explosiveness, the world champion quickly had dangerous shots, his first goal (34th) was canceled due to an offside position, as was another later (54th).
Mbappé has once again proved in a direct duel why he is being courted so fiercely by Real, because once he regularly hit the short goalkeeper corner (39th), Real defender David Alaba had delivered the long corner for Thibaut Courtois. Benzema (62nd) initially scored the flattering equalizer after a blatant mistake by Paris goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Then Benzema, who couldn’t be stopped at all, scored two more goals (76’/78′). For PSG and its Qatari investors, the pursuit of the title remains unfulfilled.
Although Paris was superior, had much more possession of the ball, but at the same time remained extremely vulnerable defensively. Benzema in particular knew how to use this again and again for good chances – for example he headed just wide of the goal after a cross from the last injured 2014 world champion Toni Kroos (37th).
The Real resistance was cracked by the deficit, so the big pressure only came after the 1:1. However, Mbappe remained a constant threat in the hosts’ penalty area, who have been said to be very interested in signing the exceptional striker for months. He was outdone by Benzema this time.
Gündoğan at Man City in the starting XI
With the expected compulsory exercise, the English soccer champions Manchester City made it perfect for the quarter-finals. After the decisive 5-0 first-leg win at Sporting Lisbon, the team around national player İlkay Gündoğan was content with an unspectacular zero number in the second leg against the Portuguese in front of their home crowd.
Manchester manager Pep Guardiola made six changes from the triumphant 4-1 league derby against Manchester United three days earlier. As a result, in addition to Gündoğan, the only 19-year-old defender CJ Egan-Riley rotated into the starting lineup of the Citizens for his premier class debut.
The clear constellation through the first leg before the change of sides was clearly noticeable for both teams in their limited enthusiasm. Apart from a chance for the hosts through Raheem Sterling (39th), scoring chances remained scarce in the first half.
Shortly after the break, Gabriel Jesus met for the British. But because the video evidence revealed the shooter was offside, the goal didn’t count. In the second half, too, both teams acted largely uninspired and reeled off their workload more or less listlessly.