PSG won the first leg of their Champions League clash against Real Madrid through Mbappe’s late goal.
Real Madrid suffered a real heartbreaking evening on Tuesday when they succumbed to a late extra-time scorcher by mercurial Kylian Mbappe when they faced Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash.
The final 1-0 scoreline was as much a face-saver as it was a huge relief for the Los Blancos at the end of the match as they could have easily been a few more goals down prior to the second leg.
The Parisians were playing the match of their lives from the get-go, and it was clearly evident in the first half that they meant business as the Madridistas looked awkwardly ill at ease in their discomfort dealing with a confident Parc des Princes side that clearly dominated the proceedings their their individual flair and pressing. A sterile Madrid were hardly able to approach Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal, and could barely hold possession long enough to threaten the home side in any real way.
In all, PSG made 22 attempts to keep Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois an honest man at the job, although the only real breakthrough came in the 94th minute with Mbappe making the advance. Real Madrid, on the other hand, could only manage three feeble attempts at the other end of the pitch, with none of them anywhere close on target.
It was yet again another M&M evening as the evening was under the orchestration of both Messi and Mbappe, with the former dictating the proceesings while Mbappe was a man on a mission driving it all evening. The French World Cup winner created numerous opportunities besides the goal that he managed to score. Former Real Madrid player Angel di Maria also deserves honorable mention for giving his former team a lot of trouble all night, with several chances that were just off the mark.
The pesky presence of former FC Barcelona captain Messi was clearly impossible to ignore, as the Argentine made his contributions obvious by helping to create PSG’s innovative attempts to penetrate as only he best knows how to.
However, it was Mbappe who deservedly ended up being the star of the show, although he could ironically be wearing the famous white shirt of Real Madrid in just a few months from now. To his full credit, despite the weight and pressure of a possible move later this summer weighing on his shoulders, he admirably did not hold back from creating, and fully celebrating, his stoppage time goal.
Mbappe had drawn a penalty earlier in the second half from defender Dani Carvajal, who made a risky tackle on the French forward. Messi stepped up to take the penalty but, luckily for Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois astutely and instinctively guessed correctly what Lionel Messi was going to do from the spot, and managed to save the Argentine’s low shot that unfortunately lost momentum after skimming the ground.
Neymar, back from injury since November, also gamely haunted Real Madrid as a substitute in the second half. Despite not scoring a goal, the Brazilian still posed a lot of trouble to the visitors’ defences.
Although it looked like Real Madrid was relieved to settle for a draw towards the end, Mbappe was having none of it. He adroitly weaved his way past two defenders before sending the ball between the Belgian keeper’s legs and into the far corner of the net.
Despite not scoring in Paris, Real Madrid won’t have to worry about dealing with the away goal rule after UEFA made the change for this season. That means they only have a straightforward 1-0 deficit, with any future goals from the French giants not weighing double on the second leg.