By Paul Giblin
MADRID, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid's triumph away to Paris Saint Germain to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night showed once again they have to be considered as one of the main favorites to win tournament this season.
When the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League was made in December, many thought the big-spending French side could spell the end of Madrid's attempts to retain the competition they have won for the past two years.
There was a moment in the second half in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium three weeks ago with the score tied 1-1 that PSG looked the more likely winners, but a brave double substitution by Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, who brought Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez into the game, totally changed the dynamic of the first leg and also the entire tie as two late goals gave Madrid a 3-1 first leg win.
That advantage never looked in danger on Tuesday as a Madrid team without Luka Modric and Tony Kroos, who were not considered fit enough to start, produced one of their best displays of the season, with Vazquez and Mateo Kovacic outstanding in midfield, while Cristiano Ronaldo netted twice on a 2-1 win to give Real Madrid a 5-2 aggregate victory.
While it's true PSG were without the injured Neymar, who could well have made a big difference, it's also the case that Madrid were without Kroos and Modric and Zidane and his side can take huge confidence from their win.
It seems once again that the 12-time Champions League winners save their best for Europe, something which is borne out by a look at their recent record in the competition.
The last 20 years have seen Real Madrid lift the Champions League six times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016 and 2017) and most of those victories have coincided with disappointment on the domestic front.
In 1998 Real Madrid finished in fourth place in LaLiga, behind FC Barcelona, who won the title ahead of Basque duo, Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Sociedad. In 2000, their league campaign was even worse and they finished down in fifth as the league was won by Deportivo la Coruna.
In 2002, Madrid's Centenary year, Madrid fans had to watch how Rafael Benitez's Valencia won the league and Deportivo la Coruna beat them in the Cup final in their own Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, before Zinedine Zidane's stunning volley gave them another European title with a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
In 2014 Atletico Madrid won the league title, with Barcelona second before Real Madrid got revenge over their neighbors in the Champions League final and Barca won the 2016 Liga Santander with 9 points over Real Madrid before Atletico were again Real Madrid's Champions League final victims following a penalty shoot-out in the San Siro Stadium.
Only last season did Real Madrid manage the domestic and European double as Luis Enrique's Barca imploded in Spain and they breezed past Juventus in the Champions League final.
This season Real Madrid's domestic interests are just about over; out of the Cup and 15 points behind Barca in the league, meaning their entire season again hangs on European success. With Ronaldo coming into his best form and players such as Asensio and Vazquez showing the depth of their squad, you would have to be brave to bet against them.
