Karim Benzema, with a hat-trick full of opportunism (61st, 76th, 78th), erased Kylian Mbappé, who had validated Parisian control in the first period (39th), and reversed the defeat of the first leg (1-0).

But everything went wrong after the first goal, offered by Gianluigi Donnarumma to Benzema, even if the Parisians claimed a foul.

As in Barcelona in 2017 (4-0/1-6), as against Manchester United in 2019 (2-0/1-3), PSG collapsed and wasted a qualification they had in their pocket.

Mauricio Pochettino, who evokes a "big referee error" on the first goal, suffered the curse of the Parisian bench, like Unai Emery and Thomas Tuchel before him.

We'll talk to him again, even if he doesn't like it, about his choice to rotate the guards.

Keylor Navas must have boiled as he saw his Italian rival miss his ball coverage and let Benzema equalize, with a pass from Vinicius.

The joy of Real Madrid's French striker Karim Benzema after his goal scored against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on March 9, 2022 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium JAVIER SORIANO AFP

This goal woke up an apathetic Real, where "Benz" was the only one to shake up the Paris defense.

Mbappé's 157th Parisian goal

Then, the Madrid captain put the two teams equal on a wonderful pass from Luka Modric, and signed the qualification one minute and 46 seconds later by taking advantage of a crazy recovery from Marquinhos, unrecognizable on Wednesday evening.

The joy of Real Madrid's French striker Karim Benzema after his goal scored against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on March 9, 2022 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium GABRIEL BOUYS AFP

Mbappé was very recognizable, he scored a goal well in his style, all at speed, on a counter flash, served by a delicious pass from Neymar above Eder Militao.

He shone in a stadium that hopes for next season, he who is at the end of his contract at PSG, but did not know how to sound the revolt when Real returned to the game.

The joy of Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé after opening the scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on March 9, 2022 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium JAVIER SORIANO AFP

The world champion signed his 157th goal there in this jersey, which allows him to overtake Zlatan Ibrahimovic (156) and become the club's second top scorer, behind Edinson Cavani (200).

He thought he scored two more, but one was denied for a centimeter offside by Nuno Mendes (34th), the other for a 2m offside by himself (54th).

Industrial accident

PSG dominated three out of four halves, but were totally mentally crestfallen, unable to resurface after the 2-1 draw with the two teams still level, as the goal advantage rule at the exterior has been removed.

This new industrial accident will freeze the end of the PSG season.

There is only one challenge left, the quest for a league title which will not bring many chills since there is little doubt left, with 13 points ahead of second-placed Nice.

Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti comforts Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé after PSG's elimination (1-0, 1-3) in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg March 9, 2022 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium JAVIER SORIANO AFP

The prospect of a tenth national crown, which would make it possible to equal Saint-Étienne, will not be enough to hold in suspense an environment which, from President Nasser al-Khelaïfi to the least supporter, only dreams of the Champions League.

The last three months are going to be very long, they may be spent brooding over this new failure, looking for culprits and discussing the transfer window, starting with the great risk that Kylian Mbappé, at the end of his contract, will leave.

The gigantic transfer of the summer, Lionel Messi, did not shine.

He smoothed things out at first, but missed things that were normally easy for him.

Neymar, apart from the pass on Mbappé's goal, did not achieve much, and the hinge Presnel Kimpembe-Marquinhos sank.

Needless to insist on the Donnarumma case...

Mauricio Pochettino will live through difficult times.

However, his team kept control of the match for a long time by remaining very solid in defense and coming out very cleanly.

Then the storm passed.

PSG stalls in the round of 16 as from 2017 to 2019, the "remontada" years, and already against Real in 2018, which had clearly won (3-1/2-1).

The "White House" reacted like a big European, PSG definitely can't win this Champions League.

© 2022 AFP