On Wednesday night, Paris Saint-Germain hosted Real Sociedad at the Parc des Princes in the first of two Champions League play-off round-of-16 meetings.
PSG got back their world star Kylian Mbappé who was fit enough to play from the start. Worth noting otherwise was that Lucas Hernández was benched. According to Spanish Cope, it was due to a stomach bug that affected him and parts of the French squad.
The home team started briskly once the game got going and had a lot of possession initially, but without creating many dangerous chances. Instead, Real Sociedad methodically worked their way into the match and caused problems for PSG with their high pressure.
Both teams had their chances: Mbappé had a close-range shot saved while Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino hit the crossbar with a cannon. However, the score was 0-0 when the teams went into the half-time break.
But at the start of the second half, PSG took the lead.
Marquinhos then reached the top of a corner and spliced the ball towards the back post, where Mbappé was and could bump in from close range to make it 1-0.
– The man of rumours! Last spring in Paris? It is said so! Now he is a goalscorer again for Paris Saint-Germain. The eternal goalscorer, commentator Lasse Granqvist roared in TV4 Play’s broadcast.
Expert Jens Fjellström filled in:
– If you leave Mbappé alone from that distance – then it’s 1-0 PSG.
The goal was the 25-year-old’s fourth in the tournament this season. And just seconds later, the winger, who is rumored to be on his way to Real Madrid, hit the crossbar.
In the 70th minute, however, the payoff came when PSG doubled their lead. Bradley Barcola broke through from his left wing and alone with Real Sociedad keeper Álex Remiro he coolly slotted in 2-0 – and his first goal in the Champions League.
– He scores a goal that is so significant! said Granqvist in the broadcast.
– A great individual performance. There it went away. An extremely important goal for PSG, who now have two goals to go on.
PSG eventually won the first round of 16 with 2-0 and thus put themselves in a promising position for the return leg in San Sebastián, which will be played on March 5.
– We are very happy with the result. Winning was the goal and we did. Now we have one game left to play. The job is not done, says Mbappé in TV4 Play’s broadcast.
– It was very important to win, it always is. We know how tough it is to play in the Champions League. Now we managed to do it but we have to keep working hard to get to the quarter finals.
For Canal+, the PSG star elaborates his thoughts:
– We had a hard time getting out of Real Sociedad’s pressure in the first half. We could have done a better job. But it is something we have to take with us and learn from. We managed to score in important moments.
Startelvor:
Paris Saint Germain: Donnarumma – Hakimi, Danilo, Marquinhos, Beraldo – Zaïre-Emery, Ruiz, Vitinha – Dembélé, Mbappé, Barcola.
Real society: Remiro – Traoré, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Galán – Méndez, Zubimendi, Merino – Kubo, Silva, Barrenetxea.
All matches in the Champions League are broadcast on TV4 Play.
