Takeaways from Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain
When the fixtures were drawn, Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain was billed as the best of them all, and there is no doubt it lived up to the hype. Karim Benzema’s dramatic second-half hat-trick that took a total of 17 minutes sent PSG packing, and had the Santiago Bernabéu rocking for yet another memorable Champions League night. As PSG reel from their latest premature exit from the competition, and Real Madrid move forward, we look at three takeaways from each team.
Real Madrid
Karim Benzema will never be underrated again
Benzema, captain on the night, stepped up once again as he has done ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2018. With his flurry of goals, the Frenchman not only put in one of the greatest Champions League performances ever, but also became the third highest goalscorer in the history of Real Madrid. He is sitting on 309 goals, just 14 behind Raúl, who trails Ronaldo with 451. Already with 30 goals on the season, it is conceivable that Benzema could pass the Spaniard quite soon, but more importantly his performances since becoming the main man four years ago has firmly placed him in the discussion for best number nine of his generation, and deservedly so.
Benzema and David Alaba celebrate their third goal
Valverde and Camavinga are ready to take over, but the old guard continues to shine
Luka Modric, Federico Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga ran the show in the second half, with Modric showing the world why Ancelotti refuses to ever rest him, and the two young guns validating the fans who clamor for more midfield rotation. Florentino Perez has done a brilliant job creating a succession plan for the trio of Modric, Casemiro, and Toni Kroos, and fans must be thrilled to see Valverde and Camavinga play such massive roles in a legendary game with Casemiro suspended and Kroos not totally healthy. It must be said though, Modric at 36 was still the best midfielder from either side, as he so often is.
The aura of the Santiago Bernabéu is unmatched
Even when their team went 2-0 down on aggregate, the Madrid fans never stopped believing. Once Benzema pressured Gianlugi Donnarumma into an error for the first goal, they sensed blood and made life so difficult for the PSG fans. There is no question that the team in white was buoyed by their crowd, and the celebrations after the game showed just how much it meant for them to give them a special night. It is games like that where you realize why superstars such as Kylian Mbappé dream of being a galactico.
Paris saint-germain
Mauricio Pochettino is good as gone
This season, PSG lost the Trophée des Champions, got knocked out of the Coupe de France, and of course are out of the Champions League. On top of that, they failed to win Ligue 1 last year, and the performances have been shockingly inconsistent. Pochettino, with the most stacked team in Europe, has been unable to manage the locker room, shown no backbone, and save for a few games didn’t really show any signs of being able to lead this squad. His contract is not up until June 2023, but PSG will surely be looking for a new manager before that.
They must re-think their team building philosophy
When Lionel Messi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum, Achraf Hakimi, Sergio Ramos, and Nuno Mendes were signed last summer, most around Europe knew that PSG had one of the best squads ever created on paper. The front three of Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé was arguably the most talented trio ever, yet this has been the most disappointing season for the club since becoming a continental contender. The team often looks disconnected on the pitch, and rumors of dressing room fights after the game indicate how broken the team is. In fact, they are not a team, just a mass of incredibly talented individuals. It is time for Leonardo to re-think his strategy of buying all the superstars, to perhaps signing just the right ones, and adding complementary pieces around them.
PSG’s hugely talented trio flopped
Losing Mbappé could be fatal
Kylian Mbappé is the only man from his side who can say he did his part over both legs, and they were likely his last Champions League games as a PSG player. Many now believe he is the best in the world, and with his contract up in the summer and Real Madrid calling his name, PSG has a major issue. Messi and Neymar are both not as influential as they once were, and there is no one they could sign to replace the French superstar. How they deal with the likely massive hole in their side will be pivotal if they are able to come back from their latest Champions League embarrassment.