Champions League

A 16-minute second-half hat-trick from Karim Benzema turns the tie on its head as Real Madrid come from behind against PSG to advance to the quarter-finals ...

Messi, so often a thorn in the side of Madrid, stands over the free-kick. He has thundered into the game in the second half a big reason why Madrid are in the driving seat The tie is level, and in fairness, it has been coming. Quite something to see a team of the calibre of Real Madrid unable to get a sniff of possession...and as I say that, they snatch the ball away. A timely intervention, but the striker seems a little shook from the challenge. Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale sit on the Madrid bench. It seems a tall order now for Madrid to score at least two goals, while also keeping Messi/Neymar/Mbappe quiet at the other end. Kylian Mbappe with a wonderful Kylian Mbappe-like goal! Mbappe has scored...but no, he hasn't! VAR is called into play and the goal won't count. PSG goalkeeper Donnarumma gets the feintest of fingertips to the ball, but it is a crucial intervention to tip Karim Benzema's curling effort from distance past the post. Courtois down again, this time to his left, as Neymar's shot is dragged in the area. They will need to be much sharper tonight, and Toni Kroos, who comes into the game with concerns over his hamstring, likely to be a greater influence than he was in Paris.

Manchester City were hardly tested as they formally confirmed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a goalless draw against Sporting Lisbon.

Carson was almost immediately into the action, needing to save from Paulinho at point-blank range and taking a blow to the knee in the process. Mahrez raced into the area from a long ball and regained possession after being tackled to slip in Jesus on the right. Jesus did feel he should have had a penalty after a challenge by Manuel Ugarte, and he was also given nothing after a tackle by Luis Neto on the edge of the area.

The same could perhaps be said for Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who has been given hundreds of millions over the course of his career but has failed to win the Champions League for over a decade, and has never won it without Lionel Messi.

But has any manager been afforded so much luxury, so much understanding, and so much advantage, and delivered so little on the European front? "Now we are again in the quarter-finals as the best eight teams in Europe. I learn to enjoy the moments. And it is only with Messi that he won the Champions League. He has now gone more than a decade being the best manager in the world without winning its most important trophy. Perhaps it is fairest to say that Guardiola was the man who was able to put some exceptional players together to get exceptional results. The other factor, of course, is Lionel Messi. It is only with Messi that he revolutionised how football can be played. And he made sure that his goalkeepers could contribute with the ball at their feet.