Real Sociedad - PSG summary: score, goals & highlights, Champions League
Real Sociedad - PSG: as it happened
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Joe
Full-time thoughts:
It was not to be for Real Sociedad, who battled well but could not match PSG's energy or talent and, in the end, the French side cruised through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Two goals from Kylian Mbappé made the already unlikely comeback all but impossible, and a late Mikel Merino strike saw La Real claim back some pride if not hope of overturning the deficit.
PSG put in an extremely mature performance in a ground that never stopped cheering their side on, pressing the blue and white stripes of the home side into their defensive third for large parts.
As the game wore on, tired legs settled into Imanol Alguacil's side and the changes, with Barrene the standout, did well to impact the game. But Mbappé is Mbappé and when a team allows him time to open his body and then space to get in behind, the scoreline inevitably changes in his favour.
FULL-TIME!!!
PSG ARE THROUGH TO THE QUARTER-FINALS
SAVE. Mbappé cuts a delightful pass down the left when it looks like he's about to take it inside and shoot. Vitinha goes for goal but Remiro does well to cover his angles.
3 added minutes.
A goal that won't change the outcome, but one that the fans are enjoying and the players certainly deserve.
The cross comes in from the right and it's cleared to Merino inside the box, who makes no mistake and volleys in through a crowd of players!
OVER THE BAR. Olasagasti fires over after a high turnover from Kubo.
PSG are doing well to keep the ball and make sure they don't allow their opponents any late chances.
The changes have just seen the pace of the game drop slightly...
More PSG changes:
OFF: Dembélé, Hakimi
ON: Soler, Kolo Muani
André Silva takes the ball on the left. He goes one way then the other before hitting a pea-roller at Donnarumma.
Ten to go...
HUGE SAVE. Donnarumma gets one of his eight tentacles onto the ball as it's thundered towards goal from a few yards out by Turrientes in the cloud of blue and white stripes on the edge of the six-yard box.
La Real changes:
OFF: Oyarzabal, Zubeldia
ON: Pacheco, André Silva
PSG change:
OFF: Fabián,
ON: Ugarte
DOUBLE CHANCE. The two Zubs. Zubeldia gets on the corner at the front post and sends it whizzing past goal. Traoré gets the cross in from the other side and Zubimendi cracks his effort over the bar.
The biggest cheer of the night comes as Zaire Emery spoons a clearance behind for a corner.
Merino is brought down on the left as Vitinha leaves a leg in. Fifteen to go, four goals to find...
CHANCE. Oyarzabal gets the ball on the left but Vitinha doesn't give him any room close to the touchline and he can't poke a pass through to Kubo, who is screaming with the goal gaping in front of him.
Zubimendi is offside as Merino's free-kick from the left is curled in. It's been hugely positive from the home side since they conceded the second.
Kubo throws his arms into the air after Traoré goes for goal from distance with the winger arguably in a better position to shoot from the right side.
SAVE. Remiro gets down at his near post to stop Hakimi's low effort from squeezing in.
Merino spins on his heel and fires a wild volley way over the goal. More positive football from Imanol's side.
It feels like too little too late - and it probably is - but it's great to see the crowd so supportive as La Real come at PSG. Corner for the home side.
CHANCE!!! La Real come again and this time Barrene is the provider. He races down the left and cracks a wonderful cross towards Oyarzabal, who stretches but can't quite get a toe on the ball.
A clipped cross to the far post from the right landed on the head of Barrene who nodded past Donnarumma! However, the replay shows his shoulder might have been offside.
OFFSIDE!
Subs for both sides:
La Real:
OFF: Becker, Brais
ON: Barrene, Turrientes
PSG:
OFF: Mendes
ON: Mukiele
We've had an hour of football and Real Sociedad are set to make a couple of changes.
Traoré brings down the man of the moment on halfway and is lucky not to get a yellow.
Back underway.
It's a simple but deadly goal. The ball is played over the high line of the Real Sociedad defence and Mbappé races behind on the left, cuts inside and drives a shot to the near post that smashes past Remiro.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL
MBAPPÉ SCORES AGAIN
As expected, the centre-back doesn't get away with that.
And now it's Dembélé who is down after a challenge from Zubeldia.
Ouch. Merino is late, very late on Fabián, who goes flying. Somehow it's not a booking from Mr Oliver.
Mendes does what I'd do and flings a wild leg at an easy ball, spooning it out for a needless corner. OK, I'm being unfair to the full-back, I'd have fallen over.
Take Kubo and Oyarzabal link up down the right as they look to target Mendes, who is on a booking. The ball is run out of play by the pair who can't find an opening on the inside.
A tired leg from Zubeldia trips Fabián as the former Betis midfielder spins one way and then the other in the middle third.
PSG have La Real packed into their defensive third and look completely in control...
Zoom. PSG start with their energy levels at 3000 and Mbappé is caught offside after 30 seconds.
Second half underway!
PSG get us rolling.
PSG change... and it's not Mbappé!
OFF: Barcola
ON: Kang-In Lee
Here come the players!
We're almost ready to get going again!
Dembélé having a quietly good game
The former Barcelona winger has had a quiet yet solid game, and grabbed the assist for Mbappé's goal.
Remember, we've got another cracker over on other side with Roddy, as Bayern take on Lazio. Go check out what's happening over there before virtually rushing back to northern Spain.
Mbappé continues to shine this season...
The Frenchman has been in fine form all season and continues to add to his already staggering numbers.
Half-time thoughts:
I have to say, I've been hugely impressed with a very serious-looking PSG, who have pressed all across the pitch and deserve their lead at the break.
Mbappé's early strike is the difference on the scoreboard which gives his side a huge cushion and turns La Real's already mammoth-sized task into an almost unscalable mountain.
They've gone from needing 2 goals in 90 minutes to needing 3 in 45, something that would undoubtedly be the biggest shock of the season across the continent.
The Spanish side have created a few chances but never really threatened Donnarumma's goal, with Kubo's long-range effort the pick of the bunch.
Equally, PSG could well have doubled their lead, had Remiro been wearing a smaller sized boot and not stopped Mbappé's low effort with his big toe.
HALF-TIME!
Mbappé goal is the difference at the break.
Dembélé is booked for a pull on Traoré's shirt.
Brais Méndez slides in to take the ball from Mbappé's dancing feet on the edge of the home team's box.
Becker goes in hard on Hakimi and that'll be a good few seconds chalked off the clock.
4 added minutes.
CHANCE. Take Kubo takes the ball on the right side and skips onto his left foot before unleashing an angry rocket aimed at the far post.
It whizzes just wide and even an outstretched Donnarumma, who is a real-life elastic man, cannot reach the shot.
Mbappé goes up against Zubeldia on the left and wins a corner for his side.
Take Kubo also gets a booking from Mr Oliver, who seems to have found his yellow card in his other shorts pocket.
CHANCE. Take Kubo slides a low cross in from the right that's cleared by Beraldo. Mendes collects the ball and the Japanese forward slides in, bringing him down inside his own box.
And he gets a yellow card for his behaviour. Naughty boy.
Hakimi brings down Javi Galán close to the corner flag and the left-back looks to be in some pain...
Five to go of normal time.
Mbappé clatters into Le Normand and the crowd reacts wildly, upping the noise levels and all of a sudden, La Real look like they have life again.
Becker gets the biggest cheer of the night as he races down the left and crashes a cross towards the penalty spot that's cleared away by Beraldo.
A half-chance for Imanol's side as a far post header is caught by Donnarruma as it loops back across goal.
Some nice one-touch play on the edge of PSG's box gets the home fans excited, but the defence in dark blue holds on and withstands the advance from the txuri-urdin.
The pace of the game has dropped slightly as we fly past the half-hour mark. La Real are looking for a way in behind PSG's defence which, for now, is standing strong.
Mbappé experiences a bad refereeing call in Spain (it won't be the last time) as Le Normand clearly holds him back. Michael Oliver tells the French forward everything is OK.
SAVE! Remiro gets his big toe on Mbappé thunderous effort driven low towards the near post.
It was a poor ball back towards goal from Oyarzabal which allowed Barcola to recover and fire a cross in from the right.
Mendes is booked for a foul on Kubo as the winger broke away across the halfway line. It looked like a very soft one to me, I must say.
Groans from the stands as Becker looks to be in behind the PSG defence before that pesky linesman raises his flag.
The attacker would've gotten away with it if it weren't for the meddling official doing his job.
PSG look really switched on and are finding acres of space behind La Real's midfield. Mbappé is down again after a challenge from Traoré.
Mbappé wins a free-kick on the left after Zubeldia stops the winger by doing his best impression of a closed door. Zubimendi had given the ball away on halfway with a sloppy pass and PSG's counter looked lethal.
La Real want a penalty for handball but it looks like they're being punished for a foul earlier in the move. Becker and Oyarzabal did well to create space in the box, which could give them hope for the rest of the game ahead. There's still plenty of football to go.
Back underway.
The problem (we think) is due to the fact that there is a rip in the net.
And the referee is going to the screen!
The Frenchman takes the ball on the left side and skips back from the touchline. He feints one way before opening up a yard on his right foot and curls a ferocious effort into the far corner of the goal.
GOLAZO
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL
MBAPPÉ
Zaire-Emery is allowed to trot into the box unchallenged and luckily for La Real, his shot is so weak it wouldn't have knocked over a one-legged tiger.
Hakimi's loose touch on the edge of La Real's box gives the side the chance to counter.
Take gets it on the right and slides a diagonal pass from the edge of the box towards the penalty spot, but Oyarzabal has already made a run in behind and PSG recover.
Referee Michael Oliver gives what I think is a foul bought by Becker, who crashes into Lucas Hernández as he makes a run in behind from halfway. One of them where the defender simply cannot move quickly enough to disappear into the fourth dimension.
SAVE. A massive, massive save from Remiro who gets down amazingly well to stop a certain goal from a yard out. Mbappé goes 1vs1 with Traoré and skins him down the wing. He plays a pass across goal to Barcola, who thinks he's scored a tap-in. Remiro says no.
HUGE CHANCE. It's almost an own goal as Nuno heads across his own goal at the back post.
PSG's press is fast and high and Real Sociedad are doing well to keep the ball in the middle third. They work right then left and Becker sends a tasty ball to the back post where Kubo was waiting.
CHANCE. Mbappé has the first shot of the night. He plays a one-two on the edge of the box with Fabián and lets fly, with his effort sailing over Remiro in goal.
Traoré is back on and called into action immediately as he blocks a searching pass down PSG's left wing towards Mbappé.
Back underway.
It looks like his shoulder. He's back on his feet but Aramburu is warming up.
Mendes misses a high ball and lets Traoré behind on a mazy run down the right and goes down inside the box. There's no foul but he looks hurt.
PSG are pressing high with two forwards on the centre-backs and a midfielder on Mikel Merino as goalkeeper Álex Merino takes his first touches at the back.
And we're off!
La Real get us rolling in San Sebastián.
The Chaaaaaaampiooooonsss!
Huge smiles from every fan as the famous anthem belts out from the speakers around the ground.
The players are in the tunnel!
The first players are emerging from the dressing rooms and are lining up in the tunnel as kick-off approaches.
The noise in incredible!
The stadium has filled to the rafters and the fans in blue and white are making a sensational noise!
LESS THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES TO GO!
The two teams are finishing their warmups and are getting ready to head down the tunnel before kick-off!
Mbappé subbed off: strategic or power move?
Many people have been asking the question of whether it was right or not to take of Kylian Mbappé - will it happen tonight, in PSG's biggest game of the season?
A reminder of the starting XIs:
REAL SOCIEDAD:
GK: Álex Remiro
DEF: Galán - Le Normand - Zubeldia - Traoré
MID: Merino - Brais - Zubimendi - Becker
ATT: Oyarzabal - Take Kubo
PSG:
GK: Donnarumma
DEF: Mendes - Lucas H - Beraldo - Hakimi
MID: Fabián - Zaire Emery - Vitinha
ATT: Mbappé - Barcola - Dembélé
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With Xavi Hernández to leave at the end of the season, the managerial merry-go-round is set to spin faster than ever. Thomas Tuchel is another name who is leaving, as is Jürgen Klopp, meaning that three of Europe's top jobs are up for grabs.
Luis Enrique recently emerged as Barcelona's preferred option to take over: he won the treble with the bluagrana back in 2015.
Luis Enrique pre-game:
I am managing Mbappé as always, with common sense and enjoying the experience.
The away goals rule in the Champions League was scrapped a few years back: here’s why...
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin pointed out how the away goals tiebreaker ran “counter to its original purpose”, adding that it discouraged teams from playing attacking football.
“It dissuades home teams — especially in first legs — from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage,” Ceferin said.
“There is also criticism of the unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team has scored.”
This reasoning led to the motion being carried that the away goals rule - meaning a goal scored away from home counted as double - would be scrapped.
Today's two benches:
REAL SOCIEDAD: Marrero, Tierney, Pacheco, González, Marín, Magunazelaia, Turrientes, Aramburu, Olasagasti, Sadiq, Berrene, André Silva
PSG: Navas, Tenas, Mukiele, Gadou, Marquinhos, Lee, Mayulu, Soler, Ugarte, Kolo Muani, Ramos
WATCH THE GAME!
Here’s how you can watch the action as it happens on your TV or streaming device, as well as follow the live feed.
Mike Merino pre-game:
The fans are amazing, we want to show them the same energy in a great game.
A lot of the first game makes us think that we can compete as a team and individually.
You have to do things in both areas against top teams, the details in the boxes are what counts and we need that touch of class to finish, to stop and attack and, as such, have a complete game.
We're not going to go crazy, we're going to take it like any other game. An early goal would be great, but you could also score after 70 minutes and be in a good position.
How Luis Enrique deals with constant Mbappé questions
How Luis Enrique deals with constant Mbappé questions
Mbappé has been taken off by Luis Enrique consistently over recent games with the manager even saying that the side “need to get used to life without him”, hinting at a possible move to Real Madrid.
Javier Etxezarreta / EFE
Who to watch: Sheraldo Becker
The winger is without a doubt the surprise pick of the Real Sociedad starting XI. He joined from Hertha Berlin in January and Imanol will be looking to take advantage of his pace on the pitch.
Police seize dangerous items
Fans from both sides have been found with a series of dangerous objects ahead of the game and the Ertzaintza, the local police, havepublished a quite shocking photo.
We’ve got Bayern vs Lazio (0-1)over on the other channel with Roddy taking control of that one.
The game was utter madness last time out and saw the Italians come away with a shock 1-0 lead that they’ll be looking to cling onto as Harry Kane and co. try to turn around what could potentially be a disastrous season for the normally ruthless German side.
Have your say!
We've got a live poll up and running and you can leave your score predictions below... if you dare!
REAL SOCIEDAD XI:
Oyarzabal starts up front with Take in what looks like a strong XI from Imanol Alguacil!
Can Mbappé keep his goalscoring record up?
The Frenchman has been in blistering form for PSG in Europe this season, and already has 4 goals in 7 Champions League games this season.
Can he add to his knockout record of 9 goals in 10 games?
Can La Real overturn the deficit?
Real Sociedad lost the first leg 2-0 thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Bradley Barcola, meaning they have it all to do at home against the French side.
It seems like an incredibly difficult, uphill mammoth-sized task, but stranger things have happened in football and an early goal could see the txuri-urdin come out of their shells and start to play the football we've been used to seeing.
MATTHEW CHILDS / Action Images via Reuters
Who's the ref?
Oh no, it’s Michael Oliver! I’m joking of course, Michael Oliver is one of, if not the, top referee in England today.
The 39-year-old is a Premier League veteran and has overseen football games at all age categories across the world.
With well over 300 Premier League games under his belt and almost 40 Champions League ties, the man from Northumberland should manage to keep a lid on things should this game get spicy.
Here's how the ground looks!
The Reale Arena has seen, like many stadiums across Spain, redevelopment over the past few years.
However, unlike many grounds in Europe, the new facelift has not taken away from the atmosphere but instead drastically improved it, bringing the fans closer to the pitch and getting rid of the number one thing all football fans hate in stadiums: the running track.
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Real Sociedad pushed hard in Parisand controlled a lot of the game, especially in the first half where they kept PSG at bay and separated their midfield from the forwards, who were starved of opportunities.
But as the game wore on, fatigue crept in and eventually the home side found a breakthrough with a sleepy corner that Mbappé stuck in at the far post.
Barcola got a second soon after with a delightful piece of skill on the left wing and from then on, PSG were happy to sit in their nest and cradle the two eggs they had produced.
PSG team news:
Periera, Kimpembe, Skriniar and Kurzawa would make a decent back four but they’re all out for PSG, as is Sergio Rico and Asensio, although the latter could feature at some point for Luis Enrique’s side.
Real Sociedad team news:
It’s quite the injury list for both sides tonight as we plough through the season towards the final stretch.
The LaLiga side will be without Barrene, Odriozola, Carlos Fernández, Aihen and Merquelanz today, while Elustondo is a doubt.
Spain's northern city is ready!
San Sebastián is one of Spain's most beautiful cities and tonight it is hosting one of Europe's top sides!
Mbappé, Mbappé, Mbappé...
Mbappé, Mbappé, Mbappé. I could go on like this as it appears everything surrounding PSG at the moment always leads back to the French forward.
He has been substituted by manager Luis Enrique recently in the second half and even at half-time with curious comments coming out of the mouth of the Spaniard.
Despite the furore, recent results haven’t been bad and the pure talent in the squad still makes them capable of putting in good performances and getting results both home and away.
Mbappé, Mbappé, Mbappé…
Time to get things back on track
Real Sociedad’s season promised much and still has the potential to be a successful one, although the side have dropped off recently and are going through a stick patch in front of goal.
They have looked slightly flat over recent weeks which is a huge contrast to the normally high-octane football we’ve been used to seeing under Imanol Alguacil.
Let’s see if they can pick things up tonight in what may just be the biggest game of their season.
Welcome!
The Champions League is back with a bang and we’ve got the second leg of the Round of 16 coming up.
Real Sociedad take on PSG at the Reale Arena in San Sebastián.
It’s Joe here to guide you through the action as it unfolds in northern Spain.