Feeling unfair on the goal conceded because it was a foul by Benzema: Mauricio Pochettino

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Mauricio Pochettino felt the loss was  “very unfair because of the goal conceded” as he feels “Karim Benzema had fouled Gianluigi Donarumma” before scoring the equaliser. Although Kylian Mbappe’s first half strike had extended PSG’s aggregate lead to two goals, Benzema’s hat-trick in the last thirty minutes helped Real Madrid to the quarter-finals of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League.

Tonight @PSG_English are eliminated from the @ChampionsLeague.@realmadriden 3⃣ – 1⃣ @PSG_English

⚽️ @KMbappe 39′ #????? pic.twitter.com/n31084xPIx

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) March 9, 2022

PSG were clearly the better side for a major part of the two-legged tie. In the first leg in Paris last month, Mabappe’s last-gasp goal separated the two sides. The match at Parc des Princes was clearly dominated by the Parisians and Real Madrid failed to register even a single shot on goal. 

PSG carried that momentum to Madrid and created some good goal-scoring opportunities in the first-half. Mbappe forced a good save from Thibaut Courtois at the near post before being denied by the linesman for offside. But the Frenchman broke the deadlock on 39 minutes before being denied by the referee for off-side once again in the second half. 

Pochettino was peaking to the press after the match and he said: “[It’s] Feeling very unfair, because of the goal conceded. It is a clear foul of Benzema to Donnarumma. The emotional state has changed, and we have been very exposed. It’s a tremendous blow, because we were better in the tie. We’ve been better in 180 minutes of football. Real Madrid, it’s true, had nothing to lose with the 1-1 and went up with everything.” (credit: managingmadrid.com)

Pochettino was adamant that the press by Benzema on Donnarumma was a foul and wasn’t hesitant to criticize the referee. PSG were firmly in control of the tie until that incident after the hour-mark which led to the equaliser.

The momentum then shifted to the hosts and they scored two more goals in the next 17 minutes. Meanwhile PSG’s defence was also in sixes and sevens in the final quarter of the game. 

The Argentine tactician added: “It is not a mistake because it is a clear foul. I’ve seen the images between 30 and 40 times, with all the cameras. It’s not a mistake by the goalkeeper, it’s a foul. Small details count and VAR has not seen a decisive foul. It is a determining factor that influenced the mood of the two teams and the stadium. We were in control of the game and the chances.”