Karim Benzema inspires incredible Real Madrid comeback vs PSG

 

 

Real Madrid produced a stirring fightback at a raucous Bernabeu to reach the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Paris St-Germain, with Karim Benzema scoring a spectacular second-half hat-trick.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team appeared to be well on their way to the last eight after Kylian Mbappe’s first-half strike gave PSG a justified two-goal aggregate lead.

 

PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error, though, was the impetus for a stunning comeback, with Benzema scoring after the Italian dallied in possession.

Luka Modric’s driving run and clever pass set up Benzema’s second goal as he leveled the tie against a visibly nervous PSG, and seconds after the restart, the 34-year-old drilled a low effort into the bottom right corner to settle the game.

 

PSG had been in perfect control until Donnarumma’s blunder.

 

As the hosts struggled to manage their more fluent opponents, Marco Verratti was slick and commanding in midfield, while Neymar and Lionel Messi forced their way into some dangerous situations.

Mbappe was particularly impressive, sprinting on to a cross from Neymar to open the opener against the team he has been highly projected to sign when his PSG contract ends in the summer.

Aside from that, the 23-year-old tortured Real’s defense, twice having scores rightfully disallowed for offside but still displaying his predatory instincts.

He also blew past Real’s Eder Militao, and it was only a magnificent covering challenge from David Alaba that kept him from adding to his score.

Mbappe’s impact was such that when he got up after seeming to be wounded in a tackle, he drew a round of cheers from the home crowd, but the greatest harm to his and PSG’s long-standing hopes in the tournament was still to come.