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That would have been natural if Gareth Bale had scored the winning goal in stoppage time. If the Wales, Golf, and Madrid (in this order) player of his third most important passion would have restored by a free kick the lost victory against Paris Saint-Germain. But Bale only hit the post with his formidable attempt, and an entertaining evening had to miss the final punch line.
It did not take them to cheerfully dismiss the audience from the brimming Madrid Estadio Santiago Bernabéu into the rainy night. People said goodbye to their team, while PSG pros hopped in front of the visitors' curve to celebrate this 2-2 in the Champions League. Both circumstances, which illustrated Madrid's satisfaction, such as the Parisian exuberance over a draw, are: Real Madrid is back.
After one of the worst seasons in the club's history, the fan people themselves had demanded a revolution. Returning coach Zinédine Zidane, however, denied populist gestures and relied largely on the team that had won him the Champions League three times in his first term, plus Cristiano Ronaldo. Little by little he began to vary, and now, at the end of November, it can be said: It may not have become a revolution. But always an effective reform. There was nothing remotely reminiscent of the 0-3 draw from the first leg when Real looked hopeless in Paris.
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Real draw against PSG: 80 minutes of shine"Very strong, very confident" saw PSG coach Thomas Tuchel the opponent, and so superior that he spoke of an undeserved, but therefore the sweeter point for his team. In fact, Real has probably played so organically football in 2017's best season of Zidane's first period. Whether accesses like Eden Hazard, newcomers like Fede Valverde, resurgents like Marcelo or Toni Kroos, almost forgotten ones like Isco and anyway the Evergreen Karim Benzema: In a miraculous way everything suddenly seems to blend in with each other.
In the early 1-0 for example: Hazard conjured in midfield against half Paris and held the ball possession until he could open the game on the right. There, Valverde went through, Isco spiked the ball on the post and Benzema showed by Abstauber that he has become his real goal-getter on his older days and without side man Ronaldo, who not in vain also the scorers list of the Spanish league leads (17th minute).
When was Kroos last seen playing in Madrid?
His brilliance in technique, range of action and game overview, he has nevertheless preserved; and physically he is still not to be underestimated. The 31-year-old also refined his header to make it 2-0 to a Real presentation, which was determined in the ball conquest, fast in the middle field, accurate on the penalty area and as opulent as optimistic (79.). When, for example, did you see Kroos scoring five goals in his Madrid time, including one with an almost directly transformed corner?
Zidane laughed at his already lost Zidane laugh when he later said, "I'd sign up to play like that forever, it was a big game for everyone." Also from him, because with the offensive midfielder Isco instead of like a third attacker he had obviously surprised the PSG. It was again similar to the 4-3-1-2 of the past two Madrid Champions League titles in 2017 and 2018, but a match plan is one thing, the general mood is quite different. So what did he do to these players, who are the same as in September? Zidane became serious and mentioned the virtues of work and patience. Although many may find that boring.
The Bernabéu is ravished by Valverde
More clearly than in the Press Room, he speaks through his lineups, and the one from Tuesday left an interesting message. In the midfield it is not until further notice on major evenings no longer Casemiro-Kroos-Modric as all the years, but Casemiro-Valverde and Kroos / Modric. Young Uruguayan Valverde, 21, is the big climber of recent weeks. Real has lost just one in ten games since becoming a regular player - it was the only one in which he was spun off the starting lineup. Just how to concede the goals against PSG after leaving the pitch under standing ovation and "Valverde". The Bernabéu is enraptured by this dynamic team player, who plays box-to-box, bringing a tremendous physique and welding the lines together in Real's football.
Meanwhile, Paris managed the day's victory in a spicy goalkeeper duel. Reals Thibaut Courtois looked unsteady, was saved from a penalty and sent off only by video evidence of a previous PSG foul and participated in a communication error with Raphaël Varane at the connecting goal by Kylian Mbappé, who was soon followed by Pablo Sarabia's equalizer. On the other hand, Keylor held Navas "extraordinaire" (Tuchel). The Costa Rican, however, had come from Madrid only before the season, where he no longer passed the younger Courtois for relatively inexplicable, probably club political reasons. Now Navas was the last man to leave the lawn, his old fans said goodbye to him with warm applause.
Until Courtois is allowed to experience that, he must first win a Champions League. For now, Madrid will only go as second in the group in the first knockout round draw. But again with the belief in yourself.
Real Madrid - Paris St. Germain 2: 2 (1: 0)
1: 0 Benzema (17.)
2: 0 Benzema (79.)
2: 1 Mbappé (81st)
2: 2 Sarabia (83.)
Madrid: Courtois - Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo - Casemiro - Valverde (76th Modric), Kroos - Isco (82nd Rodrygo), Benzema, Hazard (69th Bale). - Trainer: Zidane
Paris: Navas - Meunier, Thiago Silva, Kimpembe, Bernat - Marquinhos - Gueye (46th Neymar), Verratti - Di María (76th Draxler), Icardi (76th Sarabia), Mbappé. - Trainer: Tuchel
Referee: Soares Dias (Portugal)
Yellow Cards: Marcelo - Meunier (2)
