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MOTD: Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Real Madrid

By on October 21, 2015

Tonight’s clash between European football royalty Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain was made possible by UEFA’s new seeding system, but the scoreless draw was disappointingly won by conservatism and reminded one far too much of a high profile friendly. With each side’s progression to the knockout stages all but assured – the ESPN studio crew were amused to find their chances of qualifying each at 99% – the result suited both sides far more than a scoreless draw between teams containing Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ever should.

“The first team to have made a mistake would have paid,” Ibrahimovic said, per PSG’s official website. It was a strategy both teams adopted.

Madrid travelled to Paris with an injury-hit starting eleven but the Parisians took an over-cautious approach and let slip a rare chance to impose themselves upon the ten-time winners. Both sides made far too many passes for runs that were never made and although Ronaldo was an aerial threat throughout the match, he lacked adequate service; Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema were all sourly missed by the visitors.

It was the first time since 2008 that Madrid haven’t scored in a Champions League group stage game but Ronaldo’s smile at the end of the match gave away how little the match mattered. The effect is has on the group is as small as the number of goals scored.

Madrid kicked off on a raining night in France and the proceedings trudged through the first half. Ronaldo came close with two first half headers, the first of which he hit into the ground from Marcelo’s cross, forcing Kevin Trapp into an awkward stop to push the ball wide. Soon after, Trapp just managed to get a hand on Ronaldo’s powerful header from a corner.

Small moments of class were scattered throughout the match but for every Elastico Ronaldo displayed, a metaphorical Serge Aurier brought him down with a bookable clumsy challenge, such the case late on.

Each side’s passiveness spoke volumes, with PSG happy to match up to one of Europe’s best without breaking a sweat and Madrid pleased to take a point away from Paris without their best lineup.

Marcelo’s energy breaking forward down the left was a bright spot and Madrid should have taken the lead just past the hour mark when Ronaldo sent a volley from the left across the goal and wide of the far post.

Yet both sides would end up frustrated as Angel di Maria saw his low effort from the edge of the box deflected and pounced upon by Keylor Navas after Edison Cavani (who began to stand out in the second half only to be promptly substituted) had poked the ball wide of the post. The ball bounced back towards him off the advertising board and the Uruguayan forward took a swing at it out of frustration, only to pull out to avoid the trouble. His reaction told the story of the night.

Homepage photo credit: Doha Stadium Plus Qatar, via Flickr

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.