Holders Real Madrid eased into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win at 10-man Paris Saint-Germain.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 12th goal in the competition and Casemiro’s late strike ensured Zinedine Zidane’s side progressed 5-2 on aggregate in the French capital.
Leading 3-1 from the first leg, Real never looked in danger against the sedate hosts despite Edinson Cavani’s fortunate second-half equaliser.
Here, we examine three things learned from Paris.
ANGEL DI-SSAPPEAR
Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria
To borrow a phrase from Jose Mourinho, Angel Di Maria is a specialist in failure. At least when it comes to the big games anyway.
PSG paid dearly for trying to make the Argentine replicate the play-making leadership of Neymar. But where the Brazilian not only shoulders pressure, but embrace it also, Di Maria shrinks under the weight of expectation.
When he isn’t the one to lead, you see the best from him. That’s why he began 2018 in such scintillating form, arguably emerging as the Parisian’s best player.
When he got the nod against his former side, he was comfortably the worst player on the pitch. He lost possession more than any other in the first half (19 times) and it all points to a weak mentality.
Di Maria exemplifies a player of elite-mediocrity. Considering how often he was on the ball, his decision-making is among the very worst at the top level.
Any Argentina fans watching will be begging boss Jorge Sampaoli not to take the 30-year-old to Russia.
RONALDO BACK IN BALLON D’OR MIX
Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is now breaking his own records – he is simply different class. His headed-opener was his 437th goal for Los Blancos in 427 games.
It was also a 15th finish in his last nine fixtures and he equalled a Champions League record by scoring in a ninth consecutive game in the competition – level with Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United back in 2002/03.
His physical powers are on the wane, of that there is no doubt, but the 33-year-old continues to produce the type of numbers which make it difficult to ignore him for Ballon d’Or contention.
The drought he endured at the beginning of the season has well and truly ended and the Portuguese’s maturity to understand the need to evolve again is a great testament to his disposition.
He is making his weaknesses, weaker and his strengths, stronger. If you need justification of the point then the two halves in Paris provide amplification.
In the opening 45 minutes he was far too involved in the early phases, dropping deep into pockets of space and looking to link-up with Karim Benzema.
But then after the break emerged a microcosm for his evolution into an apex predator. Rather than getting involved in the build-up play, he moved to complete a cutting counter – a perspicacious striker.
THE END IS NIGH FOR UNAI
PSG’s Unai Emery
PSG are a team manufacture to win the Champions League. The injury absence of Neymar is simply not enough to rationalise the chasm in class and quality in Paris.
When you consider the financial might of both clubs, the gulf between the two was laughable. Ultimately, the boss pays the penalty.
Last season’s exit to Barcelona – while catastrophic in its nature – at least showed PSG could dine at Europe’s top table but they were completely unseated by Real this year.
Breezing to domestic titles is not enough for a club of PSG’s ambitions. Arguably, Emery should have departed after the nonsensical tactics in the second leg against Barcelona.
But it’s not just his tactics, there is fire, drive or passion in his team. Surely when the arrives his time as PSG boss will dawn and the question will turn to who is next.
Arsene Wenger, anyone?
