Real – PSG: Club boss Al-Khelaifi rages in the referee’s cabin

Status: 12:30 p.m | Reading time: 3 minutes

WIf eyewitness reports are to be believed, Nasser Al-Khelaifi ended up in the dressing room of Real Madrid’s kit man by mistake, blinded by anger. He didn’t know what happened to him and Al-Khelaifi quickly noticed his mistake, is said to have turned on his heel and stormed on. In tow of the club boss: Paris St. Germain’s sports director Leonardo, as a kind of second.

The French top club was eliminated after this 1: 3 (1: 0) at Real Madrid for the fourth time after a first leg win in a knockout round of the Champions League. After Kylian Mbappé’s opening goal (39′), the aging Madrid striker Karim Benzema was able to make history again with the kind help of the PSG defence.

With his three goals, the 34-year-old Frenchman, 80 days old, propelled Real into the quarter-finals. At that age no player had ever scored a hat-trick in football’s premier class. The Paris coach Mauricio Pochettino suspected after the end of the game what he had to prepare for. “We have been chasing the Champions League for a number of years. The next few weeks will not be easy,” he said.

Benzema’s hit arguably ignited the spark of anger

In fact, it was initially uncomfortable for the referee of the game. Because Benzema’s first hit is said to have sparked anger at PSG boss Al-Khelaifi. In his opinion, as reported by several Spanish media, the goal was preceded by a foul. “Everything got out of joint,” wrote the Spanish sports newspaper “Marca”.

Because after visiting the Madrid kit man, Al-Khelaifi found what he was looking for. According to reports, he soon occupied the referee’s cabin together with Leonardo. It is said to have gone up in flames, referee Danny Makkelie’s equipment is said to have broken. He is said to have urged the two to leave the room, but they didn’t think about it and blocked the door instead.

Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo, Makkelie put it on record, are said to have been “very aggressive” when forced into the referee’s cabin. This was recorded in the post-match report.

According to information from “Marca”, a member of Real’s supervisory staff filmed the incident with Makkelie. After noticing this, Al-Khelaifi is said to have threatened the Madrid employee that he would kill him.

Leonardo, in turn, is said to have asked the Real representative to delete the video, which, according to the report, did not happen. The employee is said to have sent the document to Uefa instead. It will now be exciting to see how the European Football Union reacts to this and what the consequences are.

Paris St. Germain was initially better in the duel against Real

The scandal had begun. According to the radio station “Cadena Cope”, Al-Khelaifi is said to have thrown objects and shouted at people on the way through the catacombs of the Real Arena. There is even talk of fisticuffs, which could probably only be kept in check by his bodyguards.

Paris was initially the better team in the second edition of the round of 16 top game. The royals couldn’t get the super storm of the French under control, especially in the first round. Mbappé, Neymar and Lionel Messi kept getting good chances that Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was able to fend off at first. But then, as in the first leg, Mbappé, courted by Real, struck. After a fine pass from Neymar, the 23-year-old shot into the near corner.

Everything seemed to be on the way for PSG – until Benzema’s big performance followed. First he converted after a blunder from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, then he completed a superb assist from Luka Modric – and just two minutes later he completed his hat-trick with another right foot.

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