Real Madrid is officially in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League after Karim Benzema scored a hat trick late in the second half to shock PSG and advance.

In the first five minutes of the game, both teams were battling it out looking for that early goal. Kylian Mbappe got the first shot on target two minutes later but Thibaut Courtois was able to make the save.

Courtois had to deny him again in the 12th minute as Mbappe sprung past Eder Militao and managed to get another shot on target and the visitors looked on the front foot.

In the 22nd minute, it was Neymar's turn to test Courtois and the home side looked in danger. PSG kept coming and nine minutes later Lionel Messi had a chance but his shot went wide.

Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Mbappe thought he scored in the 34th minute when he got a pass and managed to get a shot past Courtois but the offside flag went up. Real Madrid finally tested Gianluigi Donnaruma when Karim Benzema got a header on target but it went right into his hands.

Mbappe opened the scoring in the 39th minute when he got a solid pass from Neymar and powered a shot past Courtois and this goal was good to give them a 1-0 lead and 2-0 on aggregate.

The first five minutes of the second half resembled the first as PSG kept attacking as they looked hungry for more. Mbappe thought he scored his second goal of the game in the 55th minute as he deked out Courtois and put it in but was called for offside again.

Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Real Madrid finally got on the scoresheet in the 60th minute as Donnaruma fumbled the ball between his feet and Benzema stole it from him took a shot that went wide to Vinicius Jr who managed to get it back to Benzema who took a great shot into the back of the net to make it 2-1.

That goal seemed to motivate Real Madrid and now it was PSG on the back foot as Madrid kept applying pressure looking for the goal that could tie the game on aggregate.

Benzema tied the game in the in the 76th when he got a quick pass from Lukas Modric and beat Donnarumma with a powerful shot that went over his shoulder off the post and in.

(Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
(Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

He was at it again minutes later as he intercepted a pass from a PSG defender and flicked the ball into the net to give the home side a 3-1 lead in the game and 3-2 on aggregate.

After four minutes of added time the final whistle blew and Real Madrid someway somehow had booked a spot into the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League.

  • Coach reaction 

After the match in his post-match press conference, Carlo Ancelotti Real Madrid head coach was pleased with the win but acknowledges it was no easy task.

" We suffered a lot, but we held on and we had to retrieve balls, we had to press and after with a very good press by Karim (Benzema) that gave us the first opportunity to score that first goal and from there the magic from the stadium, from this team gave us energy and that killed our opponents and the last 30 minutes only one team was out there". 

Real Madrid will have to wait and see who they play next and the draw for the quarterfinals will be conducted on Friday, March 18th and that will decide both the quarterfinals and the semifinals.