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Real Madrid rallied back to beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Wednesday, moving into the Champions League quarterfinals 3-2 on aggregate. Karim Benzema scored a quickfire hat-trick. Mbappe scored just before halftime to put the French ahead 2-0 in the last-16 tie, and they controlled the first hour of play, creating numerous chances to expand their lead.
Benzema, on the other hand, equalized in the 61st minute after PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma mishandled the ball inside the area and gifted it to the French striker. With a sold-out Santiago Bernabeu stadium and PSG in panic mode, Benzema struck again in the 76th minute from Luka Modric’s ball and collected his third two-goal haul of the season.PSG’s record 13-time European winners was sent into the last eight two minutes later after another costly blunder by a PSG defender.
“In the first leg, we lost, and we were losing at the interval… “It was difficult, but this is a Champions League match, and we are Real Madrid,” Benzema said. “It was a mental strength issue that led to the return. It wasn’t Donnarumma’s fault; it was my insistence on him. We can beat anyone with that kind of pressure. For us, every game is a final, and we witnessed today that Real Madrid is still alive.”
PSG was aggressive from the start, knowing how to exploit Real’s lack of coordination in putting them under pressure, leaving space for Neymar and Mbappe to exploit. Mbappe had an effort ruled out for a tight offside before putting PSG ahead when he sprinted on to a wonderful cross from Neymar.
Benzema took advantage of Donnarumma’s blunder to score a goal that PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino felt should have been disallowed. “There’s a disgrace if a goal like that remains in 2022, it was a clear foul on the goalie by Benzema,” Pochettino said at a press conference. “The team had a mental meltdown after such an injustice.” It’s a pity.”
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