Real Sociedad Falls to Paris Saint-Germain in Round of 16 Champions League

In the first leg of the Champions League’s round of 16, Real Sociedad fell to Paris Saint-Germain, 2-0. The match took place at Parc des Princes, the renowned stadium in the French capital. The home team effectively utilized its quality and favoritism, largely in part to the performance by Kylian Mbappé.

Kylian Mbappé, the French striker who is rumored to be transferring to Real Madrid in the near future, was a dominant force on the pitch. Having rested during the previous Saturday’s match, Mbappé looked refreshed and in top form. Under his leadership, PSG demonstrated its immense talent, providing a strong challenge for the Spanish coach Luis Enrique Martínez. Despite moments of intensity, Real Sociedad was unable to deliver any surprises and struggled during the home team’s strong second half, during which the goals were scored.

Mbappé was a constant threat, eventually scoring the first goal. Barcola, one of the new young talents of PSG, scored a fantastic second goal. Former FC Barcelona player Ousmane Dembélé also presented a constant threat, while Fabián performed well in the midfield. Lucas Hernández and Marco Asensio, coming off the bench, also maintained a high level of play, contributing to PSG’s pursuit of their first Champions League title.

Despite the defeat, Real Sociedad was pleased with their performance in the first half. André Silva and Mikel Merino narrowly missed scoring opportunities, with Merino hitting the crossbar just before halftime. Still, the French team also had its moments of strong play and didn’t appear intimidated by Real Sociedad’s initial high-pressure approach.

Mbappé’s Focus on Victory

The second half of the match saw a return to the intense pressure from both sides. Imanol Alguacil’s team began to lose ground. Dembélé and Mbappé connected multiple times, with the Parisian star proving to be a lethal force. He scored the first goal off a corner kick, giving PSG a 1-0 lead.

Following the first goal, the French team continued to build momentum. In the 70th minute, Barcola scored a second goal off a spectacular play. Despite a few moments of respite provided by Kubo, Real Sociedad was unable to secure a more favorable result. Nonetheless, the 2-0 scoreline was reflective of PSG’s overall dominance during key moments of the match.

Game Data

The final score was Paris Saint-Germain 2, Real Sociedad 0, with no goals scored in the first half.

Team Lineups

Paris Saint-Germain: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Danilo (Lucas Hernández, min.72), Lucas Beraldo; Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery, Dembélé (Muani, min.83), Barcola (Asensio, min.72), and Mbappé.

Real Sociedad: Remiro; Traoré, Zubeldia, Le Normand (Pacheco, min.78), Javi Galán (Aramburu, min.88); Zubimendi, Brais Méndez (Beñat, min.78), Mikel Merino, Barrenetxea (Zakharyan, min.66), Kubo, and André Silva (Sadiq, min.79).