Paris Saint Germain 1 – 1 Benfica

Paris St-Germain missed a chance to secure qualification for the Champions League last 16 as they drew at home with Benfica.

Kylian Mbappe, amid uncertainty over his PSG future, put the hosts ahead in the first half, converting a penalty after Rafa Silva fouled Juan Bernat.

PSG would have qualified with a win but Joao Mario’s spot-kick, following Marco Verratti’s foul on Silva, made it 1-1.

Mbappe thought he had scored a winner but his acrobatic volley was offside.

Earlier on Tuesday, French football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live that the 23-year-old World Cup winner felt “betrayed” by the club and wants to leave in January.

Mbappe, who has now scored 12 goals in all competitions for PSG this season, signed a new three-year deal in May but now feels he made a “mistake” and would prefer a move to Real Madrid.

However, PSG’s sporting director Luis Campos says the 23-year-old has “never talked about leaving” the club in January.

Argentina forward Lionel Messi watched on from the stands at the Parc des Princes after a calf injury ruled him out of the match.

PSG are top of Group H with Benfica, also on eight points, second, with two matches left for both sides in this phase of the competition.

In the other match in the group, Israeli side Maccabi Haifa secured a shock 2-0 home win against Juventus.

source – BBC