Karim Benzema scored an unforgettable hat-trick as Real Madrid completed a stunning comeback to eliminate Paris Saint-Germain from the Champions League.
A first-half strike by Kylian Mbappé put PSG into first place with a 2-0 lead in the overall standings, but Benzema scored three after the break as Madrid took a 3-2 win.
The result continues PSG’s Champions League grief as they have suffered yet another collapse from winning position after losses to Barcelona and Manchester United in recent years.
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Madrid will join Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
“We wanted to see this stadium the way the fans were today, we needed them, a victory for them; it was very difficult, we went all the way and we deserved it,” Benzema said after the match.
“We lost the first match, we lost 1-0 at half-time, it was a huge effort, the fans forced us to give everything to the end. These are the Champions League matches, it’s difficult. We know that PSG loves We started well, we had chances, we didn’t convert them, they scored on the counterattacks, but in the second half we played our game.
“When we press, we can beat any team, it’s about pressing the whole team, everyone in their position and with the fans. Every game is a final for us, both in the league and in the Champions League. Real Madrid is alive today.”
Both teams started brightly, but it was PSG who had the first chances, and Madrid goalkeeper Thibault Courtois twice had to refuse Mbappe.
25 minutes later, Gianluigi Donnarumma made a stunning fingertip save from Benzema’s long-range shot.
Less than 10 minutes later, Mbappe thought he had given the visitors the lead that evening, but his goal was ruled out due to Nuno Mendes being ruled offside.
Madrid failed to stop Mbappe from opening the scoring five minutes later when he kicked offside and shot past Courtois.
Shortly after the break, Mbappé thought he had scored again, but his stunning shot was again disallowed for offside.
Just after the hour mark, Benzema capitalized on Donnarumma’s unfortunate mistake to make it 1–1 that evening.
Vinicius Junior had excellent chances to level the score on aggregate after 10 minutes, but shot from close range over the bar.
A few minutes later, Benzema made an unmistakable 2-2 score, and a few seconds later he scored a sensational hat-trick when Real Madrid punished PSG for negligence from the very beginning.
The France international scored his 309th Real Madrid goal in all competitions, finishing ahead of Alfredo Di Stéfano for third place in the club’s history.
Despite reaching the semi-finals last season and the final in 2020, PSG are still aiming to win the Champions League for the first time in their history.
“It is a shame that in 2022 such a goal is worth it, it was a clear foul by Benzema on the goalkeeper,” Mauricio Pochettino said at a press conference. “After such an injustice, the team had a nervous breakdown. It’s a shame”.
Speaking to Movistar after the game, Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti said: “It’s special because we won after a tough game. Things got more complicated after Mbappe’s goal. We suffered a lot to get the ball back. We put pressure on them, we.” I practiced it in training and then we scored the first goal and the game changed completely, the fans started believing more and more, it was spectacular, we are obviously very happy.
“We started well, energetically, then gradually it became more difficult for us to press, they use the ball very well, they have quality players, we suffered, but it was normal. We took a little risk, sometimes leaving Mbappe alone, and this can make life difficult for you. We needed a goal. After that, the atmosphere in the stadium completely changed. The last half hour has been spectacular.”
“I said that you change when the team gets tired. [Toni] Kroos left because he was tired, but he did his part. Rodrigo and [Eduardo] Camavinga were fresher, they gave us a boost.”