PSG manager blames referee for the first goal leading to the Champions League collapse

Mauricio Pochettino blames PSG’s loss to Real Madrid on the change of momentum following Karim Benzema’s foul on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the build-up to Madrid’s first goal.

Karim Benzema led Real Madrid to an astonishing comeback to register a massive 3-1 win against Paris Saint-German to qualify for the Quarterfinals stages of the UEFA Champions League. Benzema scored a stunning second-half hat-trick as Real came from 2-0 down on aggregate to beat PSG 3-2 over the two legs, with Kylian Mbappe’s strikes across both games ultimately proving fruitless.

“I have a feeling of great injustice because of the goal conceded after a clear foul by Benzema on Donnarumma, and from then on everyone’s emotional state changed,” Pochettino said.

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“We couldn’t manage our emotions well after that goal and we were too exposed. We had three-quarters of the tie in our favour and were the better team, but we leave with a tremendous blow and disappointment for not being able to advance.

“I can’t consider it to have been a mistake when there was a clear foul. I say this after having seen the images 30-40 times with different cameras and different angles,” the PSG manager added.

Pochettino further added that VAR did not pay proper attention to the incident.

“This is football as it’s played in the top continental competition and the little details count. Today VAR did not see that foul and it was decisive in what later happened,” he said.

Also read: Is Karim Benzema more worthy to Real Madrid than Cristiano Ronaldo?

Pochettino on PSG’s future after the defeat

In a separate interview with RMC Sport, the Argentine manager spoke about the effect on his future at the club, saying: “Paris St-Germain have been chasing the Champions League for a number of years now. I’m really disappointed, upset – but these things can happen.

The next few weeks are not going to be easy.”

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