Starting with Paris Saint-Germain despite recent tensions with his coach Luis Enrique, Kylian Mbappé scored the club’s two goals against Real Sociedad in the round of 16 return to San Sebastian, this Tuesday March 5, giving PSG the qualification for the quarter-finals (2-1).
Published on: 05/03/2024 – 22:57
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Building on their 2-0 first leg victory, Paris Saint-Germain had the perfect opportunity to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Eliminated twice in a row in the round of 16 of the premier competition in Europe, the capital club had all the cards in hand to avoid a third disappointment in a row. Especially against Real Sociedad in full slump, which has lost five of its last ten matches, for only two victories.
Paris did not squander its advantage
Kylian Mbappé, starter with Paris SG despite recent tensions with coach Luis Enrique, offers the first Parisian goal in the 15th minute. Ideally launched in depth by Ousmane Dembélé, Mbappé places a curling shot from the right, which lodges in the small opposite net.
If Parisian coach Luis Enrique has often said recently that it will be necessary “ getting used to playing without Kylian Mbappé », it is once again the French international who unlocks the counter in this meeting, for an ideal scenario. After only ten minutes of play, Mbappé tried to deceive the Real Sociedad goalkeeper, who had already opened the scoring in the first leg of the match. Princes Park.
Unlike the first leg, the Basques did not manage to impose their pressure and suffered from the intensity of the Parisians from the start of the match. In the second half, Kylian Mbappé, well launched in depth, doubled the lead, presenting himself alone against Remiro and opening his right foot to adjust the Spanish goalkeeper (56th). Real Sociedad reduced the score at the end of the match with Mikel Merino with a half-volley from the left (89th).
It’s true, Paris has in its recent history squandered its advantage, as during the famous “comeback” in 2017 against Barcelona (4-0 victory in the first leg, defeat and elimination 6-1 on the return), but also against Manchester United in 2019 (2-0 first leg victory in England, 3-1 defeat and elimination on the return leg at the Parc des Princes) and against Real Madrid in 2022 (1-0, 1-3). This time, there were no bad surprises for PSG.
In the other match of the evening, beaten 1-0 in the first leg, Bayern Munich recovered by dominating Lazio Rome 3-0 at home and qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Thanks to a double from Harry Kane (38th, 66th) and a goal from Thomas Müller (45+2), the Bavarians continue their journey in C1. Left behind in the Bundesliga with 10 points behind Bayer Leverkusen, already eliminated in the German Cup, Thomas Tuchel’s men, leaving at the end of the season, are now betting everything on the European Cup.
