PSG 1 – 0 R Madrid

February 15, 2022 admin

Kylian Mbappe’s injury-time strike saw PSG beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Parc des Princes.

PSG had appeared to be heading for a frustrating goalless draw in the French capital after Lionel Messi saw his 62nd-minute penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois.

The visitors’ giant Belgian goalkeeper guessed correctly and dived low to his left to turn Messi’s spot-kick behind for a corner in what looked like being the pivotal moment of the tie.

All this after Mauricio Pochettino’s side had dominated most of the clash, only for Mbappe to twice be denied by excellent Courtois stops in each half, before Messi was given the chance to break the deadlock from the spot after Dani Carvajal had foolishly lunged in on Mbappe in the box.

Team news

The Ligue 1 champions started with the returning Angel Di Maria alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in attack .

Meanwhile, Neymar also took his place on the bench having recovered from the ankle injury he picked up in November. And Italy No 1 Gianluigi Donnarumma was also in goal for the hosts.

Meanwhile, the visitors made three changes, with Luka Modric, Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema all returning. Meanwhile, Gareth Bale dropped to the subs’ bench having started the weekend draw with Villarreal.

Both managers brought on a raft of substitutes in an effort to break the deadlock, with the hosts seeing the return of Neymar after a four-month layoff with an ankle injury, while Real introduced Wales forward Gareth Bale, but with little effect.

That was until the fourth and final minute of stoppage time when Neymar’s cheeky back-heel released Mbappe down the left side of the area and within the blink of an eye the striker’s quick feet saw him one on one with Courtois.

The angle was tight, but Mbappe – who has been consistently linked with a move to Real this summer – kept his cool to side-foot home through Courtois’s legs for his 22nd goal of the season to hand PSG a slender advantage heading into the return leg in Madrid on March 9.

Mbappe passes his Real audition

In many ways, Tuesday night was the ideal Real Madrid audition for Kylian Mbappe, the coveted PSG striker whose contract runs out at the Parc des Princes at the end of June.

The Parisians are desperate for their France international to stay in the capital, while Los Blancos are equally keen for the 23-year-old to be their next Galatico.

And after his match-winning display, surely Real president Florentino Perez will be doing everything in his power to convince Mbappe, who has now has been directly involved in 52 goals in 52 Champions League appearances (32 goals, 20 assists), to move to Madrid this summer.

The quick-footed forward was the best player on the pitch by a mile, and that is saying something when you look at the two star-studded lineups – and the benches – and is exactly the type of player Real need to reinvigorate their ageing side.

And if the World Cup-winner plays another starring role to help knock Madrid out of Europe next month, do not be at all surprised if you see him in the white of Real next season.

Shot-shy Real made to pay – Opta stats

Real Madrid have failed to land a shot on target in just two UEFA Champions League games since 2003-04 (when Opta shot data is available), with both matches coming against Paris Saint-Germain (also Sept 2019).
Paris Saint-Germain’s 90th-minute winner courtesy of Kylian Mbappe was just the second 90th-minute winning goal Real Madrid have conceded in the UEFA Champions League after Mirko Vucinic for Roma in March 2008.
Tonight’s victory for Paris Saint-Germain was just the second time they’ve won a UEFA Champions League knockout match via a 90th minute winner after Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting vs Atalanta in August 2020 (quarter-final).
Real Madrid have failed to score in three consecutive away knockout matches in the UEFA Champions League (exc. neutral) for the first time in their history.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe has been directly involved in 52 goals in 52 Champions League appearances (32 goals, 20 assists).
PSG’s Lionel Messi has failed to score in each of his last eight appearances against Real Madrid in all competitions and has gone 695 minutes since his last goal against them (May 2018).
Lionel Messi’s last two penalty misses in the Champions League have been at Parc Des Princes – with Barcelona in March 2021 and tonight for PSG. Since his first season in the competition (2004-05), no player has failed to score more penalties than the Argentinean (5).
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois registered his first ever penalty save in the UEFA Champions League, with Messi’s effort the fourth spot kick he has faced in the competition.