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Champions League

Ronaldo score again as Madrid beat PSG in Paris

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Ronaldo gave Real Madrid the lead against PSG in the second leg in Paris

European champions Real Madrid moved into the Champions League quarter-finals as they beat Ligue 1 leaders Paris St-Germain at Parc des Princes.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the first leg at home, which Real won 3-1, and he headed in from Lucas Vazquez’s cross to extend Real’s lead in France.



PSG had midfielder Marco Verratti sent off for two bookable offences, before Edinson Cavani pulled a goal back.

But Casemiro’s heavily deflected strike sealed Real’s victory.

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For PSG, 14 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, it is the second successive season where they have gone out at the last-16 phase.

They were without injured forward Neymar and were not helped by Verratti’s needless dismissal in the 66th minute.

He was booked when he fouled Casemiro in the first half and was shown a second yellow card when he sprinted after referee Felix Brych and was cautioned for dissent.

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Real are now into the Champions League quarter-finals for an eighth successive season and remain on course for a third title in a row.

Real ease pressure on Zidane

Real won the Spanish Supercup in August and the Fifa Club World Cup in December, but manager Zinedine Zidane has come under increasing pressure with the club struggling in La Liga.

They are in third place in the Spanish top flight, 15 points behind leaders Barcelona.

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However, Zidane got his tactics spot on against PSG, leaving Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale on the bench as he looked to hit the hosts on the counter-attack, with Vazquez and Marco Asensio occupying the wide midfield roles.

PSG had scored 86 goals in 28 Ligue 1 matches and also netted 25 times in their six Champions League group games, but were restricted to only three shots on target in this second leg, which was played in a fantastic atmosphere in Paris.

Ronaldo netted his 12th goal in this season’s Champions League when Real pounced on a Dani Alves error and the Portugal forward converted with a powerful header from six yards out after Vasquez’s fine cross.

Cavani scored a fortunate equaliser when a clearance rebounded off him into the net, but Casemiro’s strike went in off PSG defender Marquinhos as Real made sure of their passage into the next round.

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It could have been even worse for PSG as Real also hit the woodwork twice, through Asensio and Vasquez, who collected a pull-back from substitute Bale, but struck the foot of the post.

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