- Real Madrid beat Paris Saint-Germain to reach the Champions League last-eight
- Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro ended the French club’s hopes
- Frank Lampard said after the game: ‘I don’t think they went out like a big team’
- Rio Ferdinand said PSG star Kylian Mbappe ‘looked like a teenager’ in the clash
- MATCH REPORT: PSG crash out as Real Madrid secure 5-2 aggregate victory
Frank Lampard accused Paris-Saint Germain of ‘throwing the towel in’ as their Champions League dream ended at the hands of Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
Unai Emery’s side were beaten 2-1 at the Parc des Princes (5-2 on aggregate) after goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro for the visitors.
The big-spending club must now wait another year for a crack at European football’s biggest club prize and, after their latest setback, Lampard was scathing of their efforts.
Paris Saint-Germain ‘threw in the towel’ against Real Madrid, claimed Frank Lampard
Cristiano Ronaldo scored as the Champions League holders won 2-1 in Paris on Tuesday night
‘I don’t think they went out like a big team. A big team goes out with some tackles. It might not look great on the eye but you have a right go. I think they threw the towel in in the second half.’
He added: ‘(Casemiro’s goal) is all about their desire compared to PSG… It’s quite embarrassing for PSG, Pastore has just come on as a sub, he’s fresh, Vazquez has been running all game, he sprints past him.
‘You get what seems like a scrappy goal but it showed you the difference in intention of both teams throughout the game.’
Madrid have been struggling in La Liga this season but their grip on the Champions League title could not be loosened by PSG in the last-16 clash.
‘I don’t think they went out like a big team. A big team goes out with tackles,’ Lampard said
Marco Verratti was shown a second yellow card for dissent as PSG crashed out on Tuesday
The Spanish giants are the most successful club in European Cup history but they won plaudits for the desire they continue to show in pursuit of their 13th title.
Steven Gerrard said: ‘That hunger comes with the best teams and the best individuals in sport. It doesn’t matter how much they have won, they are just relentless in that hunger and that determination to succeed and that’s what Real Madrid have.’
PSG’s hopes of reaching the last-eight were dented before kick-off by an injury to Neymar. Even without the world-record signing, however, Emery was able to call on the talent of both Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe.
But Mbappe was hauled off during the second half and Rio Ferdinand claimed the young French forward showed his age on Tuesday – for the first time in his burgeoning career.
Rio Ferdinand said young PSG forward Kylian Mbappe ‘looked like a teenager’ in the clash
‘Today was probably the first day that he looked like a teenager,’ he said.
‘That’s testament to the way he’s been playing over the last year or 18 months. He’s been fantastic… today wasn’t his day.’
Lampard added: ‘Every big player has a game early in their career where you realise what the level is and I think today he realised what the level is. He’s not facing that level week-in-week-out in the French league.
‘Today he’s facing top defenders who didn’t want to give him a yard… he came up short but he’ll be back because he’s going to be a superstar no doubt.’
