Madrid (AFP)

An unexpected draw, the taste of victory: PSG, led 2-0 on a double of Karim Benzema, returned the situation in extremis to snatch a point against Real Madrid Tuesday in the Champions League (2-2), s' ensuring first place in Group A.

Neymar was expected to assume the role of savior for his great debut in the Champions League, it is finally the Spaniard Pablo Sarabia, striker saving (83) just a few minutes into the game (79), which has allowed Paris to remain undefeated on the European stage.

Already qualified before playing the match, thanks to the draw between Galatasaray and Bruges (1-1), Real was close to achieving his goal thanks to the double of Benzema (17th, 79th): confirm its renewal after a chaotic start to the season , symbolized by the 3-0 received in Paris, late last September.

Mission missed a bit for Zinedine Zidane, who sees his team having to settle for 2nd place in the group (8 points). Unlike the PSG (1st, 13 pts), which has not missed the opportunity to seize the first place definitively, synonymous with draw a priori more affordable in the eighths, despite his first two goals conceded in this C1.

Like an inverted mirror of the first episode at the Parc des Princes, the gap was yet gaping in terms of intensity and commitment between the two teams: the Real starved under the leadership of his captain Sergio Ramos, while Paris quickly showed signs of nervousness, like Presidential Kimpembe's avoidable ball loss from kickoff (3rd).

- Benzema, in the footsteps of Raul -

And, after a first warning of Toni Kroos (15th), Real opened the scoring in the wake thanks to the inevitable Karim Benzema.

On a magnificent individual feat of Eden Hazard, acceleration to rush into the area followed by a center back, Isco saw his cross shot hit the post.

But Benzema, on the lookout, did not pray to open the scoring (17th, 1-0). The 63rd goal of his career scored in C1, followed by a 64th late in the game. The total of another Madrid legend, Raul (71 goals), is not very far ...

Dominant in all areas of the game, the 4-4-2 diamond Zidane, with a Hazard free electron, continued to destabilize the device Thomas Tuchel.

- VAR, spin and luxury jokers -

Only Kylian Mbappé, at the heart of all the attention in a stadium Bernabeu who dreams of seeing him in the white shirt of the Real, tried to be dangerous with his sharp acceleration. Even Verratti, so shy in the exercise, had to try his luck from afar (33rd) ...

Without a big Navas (39th, 40th, 41st), the score could have been heavier. So brilliant until the last moments of the first period, the Real almost spoiled everything on an innocuous action!

On a counter, Mauro Icardi pushed Thibaut Courtois to the fault at the limit of its surface. Verdict: red card, more use of video assistance (VAR) to know if there was a penalty or not.

But suddenly, after viewing the images, the referee finally sees a stroller Gueye at the start of the action .. and cancels everything!

Incredulous after the blow of club, Tuchel reacted by defeating his master card: the entry into play Neymar (45th) in a role of N.10.

The tactical change could have been futile, if Benzema (46th) then Isco (60th) had deceived Navas to double the stake.

Between losing the ball fast and bad choice, "Ney" failed to tip the game, almost a year after his last match in C1 with Paris against Belgrade (4-1 victory). A distant memory ...

These are the entries into play in the last 15 minutes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric Real side, and Sarabia and Draxler PSG side, who offered a crazy end game!

After the doubling of Benzema (2-0, 79th), then the reduction of Mbappé's immediate score after a mistake by Raphaël Varane (2-1, 81st), Sarabia, on the lookout, extinguished the stadium by equalizing an unstoppable hit under the bar (2-2, 83rd).

The post of Bale in the last seconds did not change anything: Paris avoided the worst ... thanks to a player trained at Real.

© 2019 AFP