Xtra Time Web Desk : Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema on Wednesday produced a brilliant second half hat-trick at the Santiago Bernabeau in the second leg of the last 16 clash to knock Paris Saint Germain out of the ongoing UEFA Champions League, as the Los Blancos registered a 3-1 win on the night and a 3-2 win on aggregate over both the legs.
At the start of the match though, the away team in PSG were the attacking side charging forward through the likes of superstars in Messi, Neymar and Mbappe.
Having much more possession of the ball, Mauricio Pochettino’s boys had the upper hand throughout the first half, which finally resulted in a goal when Kylian Mbappe put a rocket of a shot past Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to put his team ahead by 1-0 on the night and an aggregate total of 2-0.
The first half ended with a 1-0 scoreline in favour of the Parisiens, which could have been more, if Mbappe’s goal early in the match hadn’t been disallowed.
But in the second half, the 14 times Champions League winners came all guns blazing with attacking substitutions and pressing play.
And from the hour mark of the match it was all about Karim Benzema, the Los Blancos captain, who scored a quick fire 20 minute hat-trick to stun Messi’s side as they saw the home side storm their way through to the last eight of the tournament.