Real Madrid has made it to the quarterfinals of the ongoing UEFA Champions League after they defeated PSG Saint Germain by 3-2 on aggregate at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. Los Blancos were trailing by 2-0 after Kylian Mbappe found the back of the net in the 39th minute of the game.
However, the home team bounce back in style as Karim Benzema scored a fine hat-trick to help his team get through. The French striker scored in the 61st, 76th, and 78th minute as Real Madrid made a fine comeback into the contest.
PSG had 56% of possession but it was Real Madrid who took more shots (7) on target whereas the visiting team could only manage four attempts.
“Every game is a final now for us in the Champions League and La Liga but today we showed that Real Madrid is alive,” Benzema said after the game.
“We know PSG like to have the ball. We started well, we tried to score and in the second half we won the match with our mental strength,” Benzema added.
Meanwhile, at 34 years, Karim Benzema became the oldest player in the Champions League history to score a hat-trick.
“We won a very difficult game, which got a lot more complicated after Mbappe’s goal,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. “We suffered a lot. Then we pushed higher which was what we wanted to do.
“We scored the first goal and from there everything changed. The fans pushed us and we believed more, more and more. It was a spectacular night.”
He added: “We suffered, but we held on. In the first half, it was difficult to get the ball back. The first goal came and from there the magic of this stadium came. “In the last 30 minutes, there was only one team on the field.”
On the other hand, Ancelloti heaped praise on his bench and also hailed the contribution of Rodrygo and Eduardo Camavinga.
“They were important, they changed the dynamic of the game. The freshness of Rodrygo and Camavinga changed the game. Camavinga gave us more energy in midfield. It was a magical night.”
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