The UEFA Champions League round of 16 fixtures kicked off on Tuesday with Paris Saint-Germain facing Real Madrid in the most anticipated match of the knockout stages.
The Parisians failed to take a lot of their chances but ran out winners as Kylian Mbappe stole the show against the club that is expected to sign him in the summer.
Before the game however, PSG chairman Nasser Al-khelaifi took aim at Real Madrid president Florentino Perez over the Super League debacle.
The PSG chief spoke to journalists ahead of the game and clearly stated that he has no relationship with the Spanish Giants.
Al-Khelaifi is reported to be disenfranchised with Florentino Perez’s and takes over the formation of a European Super League that was going to see the biggest clubs in Europe compete for mega cash prices outside of other smaller clubs.
“I’m not going to hide it, we almost have no relationship with Real Madrid,” he told Canal+ . “I’m not going to go back on what happened
“I believe in accessible football for small clubs, they don’t”
Other reports suggest that Real Madrid’s chase of Mbappe has also contributed to PSG chief’s dislike for Perez. The PSG chairman was supposed to meet with Perez over dinner but cancelled in the lead-up to their round of 16 match leading to the comments made over their relationship.
Mbappe saves Messi’s blushes as PSG wins first leg of European tie
Al-Khelaifi will be pleased to see that his club managed to do their talking on the pitch against the 13-time European champions.
Real Madrid were outplayed on the night but PSG could not finish the chances they created leading to a tense finale.
Seven-time Ballon d’or winner and all- time leading goal scorer in El Clasico, Lionel Messi, lost the chance to put PSG ahead in the 61st minute when he played a tame penalty which Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved.
However the introduction of Neymar who had been injured for the past two months saw the game change on its head as the chances created by PSG continued to increase.
It was Mbappe who came up clutch for the Parisians in the 94th minute of the game after going on an impressive solo run to beat two Real Madrid defenders and place a beautiful shot past the outstretched arms of Courtois.
Messi, however, will rue the chances missed especially as PSG signed the Barcelona legend for nights like these.
They will have to win convincingly at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in a fortnight as the UEFA rules have done away with the away goal rule in their club competitions.
