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Real Madrid defeat Paris Saint-Germain to reach Champions League last eight

Source: France 24
March 6, 2018 at 17:46
© Christophe Simon, AFP | Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after opening the score.
© Christophe Simon, AFP | Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after opening the score.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro got the goals for Real Madrid as the holders won 2-1 away to a Paris Saint-Germain side missing Neymar to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday.
 

Ronaldo had scored twice -- including his 100th goal for Real in the competition -- as they won 3-1 in the first leg in Spain last month, and his header early in the second half at the Parc des Princes effectively ended the French club's hopes of progressing.

Edinson Cavani equalised on the night for PSG, but only after they had Marco Verratti sent off, and Casemiro's late goal secured an ultimately comprehensive 5-2 aggregate victory for Zinedine Zidane's side.

PSG never looked like turning the tie around in the absence of the injured Neymar, and it was a horribly flat way for them to exit the competition.

As they limp out, Real's dream of becoming the first team in more than 40 years to win three successive European Cups remains alive.

A year after their spectacular collapse against Barcelona in the last 16, when they were humiliated 6-1 away in the return after a stunning 4-0 win at home, PSG had hoped to produce a memorable comeback themselves this time.

Yet, shorn of the world's most expensive player, who is back in Brazil recuperating from a foot operation, they struggled to create chances, and the night will be remembered just as much for the stupidity of a section of their supporters.

Flares were lit en masse on several occasions at one end of the ground, once even leading to a brief stoppage in play, and PSG will face punishment from UEFA as a result.

Di Maria flops

Without Neymar, this was Angel Di Maria's big chance to shine after he was left on the bench for the entirety of the first leg, but nothing came off for the Argentine against his former side, his performance symbolic of a wider malaise in the home ranks.

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