PSG VS Real Sociedad: French champions get first-leg advantage against Spanish opposition
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PSG vs Real Sociedad || Image credit: Imago

PSG VS Real Sociedad: French champions get first-leg advantage against Spanish opposition

Faruq Ibrahim 23:36 - 14.02.2024

Paris Saint-Germain have one leg in the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Real Sociedad at home.

Paris Saint-Germain turned on the faucet in the second-half after an uninspired first to beat visiting Real Sociedad 2-0.

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For finishing behind Dortmund in the group stage, the French champions were tasked with hosting the first of the two-legged tie. They welcomed a La Reale side that topped a group containing last year's finalists, Inter, at Parc des Princes.

The first-half of the season form of the Basque side has, however, waned, as they have failed to score in each of their last four games. Their toothless outlook made them easy pickings for a PSG side far from their best version.

How it happened

The first-half was scoreless but entertaining, as both teams set up to attack, exchanging blows, albeit none landing a telling one. 

The visitors looked slightly better, as they enjoyed more possession, forcing the hosts to resort to transitions. Real Sociedad also got the best chance of the half, when Mikel Merino’s left-footed rifle shimmied off the upright.

PSG’s superior individual quality started to show in the second-half, as they sustained wave after wave of attacks on Alex Remiro’s goals.

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 58th minute when Kylian Mbappe reacted swiftly to a flick-on from Marquinhos towards the back post. The Frenchman poked it past Remiro and into the net to give Luis Enrique’s side the lead.

The second came in the 70th minute when the prodigiously talented Bradley Barcola glided past Hammad Traore and into the Real Sociedad area, before slotting the ball past the flat-footed Remiro.

PSG had more chances to bury the tie, but the visitors held on, giving themselves a fighting chance for when they host the return leg in three weeks.

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