“Many would like to see us dead,” Luis Enrique said, theatrically if not erroneously, after the closest Champions League group stage exit in fall.
Paris Saint-Germain are alive and favorites to win their first knockout in three years midway through this last-16 tie.
They were powered at the Parc des Princes by Kylian Mbappé and a reformed team that, despite its anti-galactico stylings, is increasingly feeding the ball to its Sun King.
After an entertaining first leg, Mbappé and Bradley Barcola made it 2-0, but Real Sociedad returned to Paris eager to battle.
“Madre mía, what pain! Great team! How to compete! After the match, Luis Enrique said he didn’t want to think about the second leg.
The opponents pressed without fear but were defeated in the second half by the Paris attack’s skill.
The first 45 minutes were a spectacle of opposites. La Real gambled on their game-line. Paris suffered surgical failures.
Despite being the underdog in a crucial game for the club, Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé’s brilliance was threatened by Parisian neuroses at this level of the competition.
People enjoy La Real, a wholesome collectivist club centered on community, stability, and engagement.
They joined nine Spanish nationals, including four Basques and Robin Le Normand, a Brittany-based Frenchman likely inspired by the Battle of Hastings.
Mbappé was returned from a bruised ankle, as expected, for Paris. As always, Mbappé or his extended unresolved farewell dominates here.
According to recent reports, Mbappé’s entourage is not convinced by Real Madrid’s latest cash offer, which they believe falls short of their own expectations.
Insatiable avarice and talent commercialization have long plagued this story. Mbappé is 25. It’s time to stretch and discover his astounding boundaries.
At the Parc, Real Sociedad stole the ball high up the pitch in 35 seconds before André Silva curled their first attempt wide.
The early stages resembled a Western saloon bar brawl in the Paris half, as visitors surged in groups and left reckless space behind.
After five minutes, Mbappé could have scored after a straight shot through the middle, gliding into his own green and shooting too near to Alex Remiro.
Takefusa Kubo and Mikel Merino set up André Silva for a header that bounced past the post. Kubo was a menace throughout the half, a dribbler who seemed to enjoy the high-tension game. Are you permitted to enjoy these games?
Paris displayed their more organized possession game. Le Normand was booked for chopping down Dembélé as he passed two white shirts near the penalty area. Halftime came with the game still scoreless.
Team Imanol Alguacil continued the pattern after halftime. High-press. Three-on-three at the back. I hope Mbappé and Dembélé aren’t as deadly as the clips suggest.
The warning at the other end raised suspicions that La Real had to make all this energy pay.
After 57 minutes, Paris took the lead from a corner. Dembélé took it, Marquinhos flicked it on, and Mbappé hooked it in at the back post, outrunning the white-shirted cover.
Paris hummed as Vitinha spun into space and found smart passing angles. Mbappé narrowly missed the bar from 25 yards.
At 70 minutes, it was 2-0. Barcola had a quick break from left to right and scored after taking the ball on the touchline, veering inside, finding space, and tucking it under Remiro.
Another twist could come from a crowded Reale Arena in two weeks. Paris leads this tie in every way.