RONALDO AT THE DOUBLE AS PSG HOPES CRUMBLE

He chalks up 100th & 101st Champions League goals for Real to get better of old rival Neymar

CRISTIANO RONALDO won his battle with Neymar and took his Real Madrid Champions League goal tally to 101.

The Portugal striker grabbed a double to dig Real out of a massive hole in a breathless game.

Ronaldo levelled with a first-half penalty to become the first player to reach three figures in the Champions League for the same club, in just 95 matches.

Then he put the hosts ahead in the 83rd minute, kneeing home from six yards, in another sensational, energetic, individual big-game performance.

Marcelo put Madrid firmly in charge of the tie with a third goal in the 87th minute.

In a battle of two superstars, rival Neymar, booked for a first-half foul, should have got a second yellow for diving on the hour.

It was first blood to Paris Saintgermain when Adrien Rabiot broke the fragile deadlock after 33 minutes.

Kylian Mbappe created the opening, flipping the ball past Marcelo and firing in a cross, which Edinson Cavani dummied and Neymar flicked into space. The Madrid defence had been overloaded, just two centre-backs in the box, allowing home-grown star Rabiot to step forward from midfield and bend home right-footed.

It was end-to-end mayhem in the first half and Madrid went in level.

Toni Kroos drew a foul from Giovani Lo Celso, who tugged his shoulder.

Ronaldo, in the 895th match of his senior career, became the first player to reach 10 goals in the Champions League this season, with a nononsense, low spot-kick.

That was despite his standing leg causing the ball to pop up off the turf just as he struck.

The 33-year-old superstar has scored double figures in seven consecutive Champions League campaigns, and 116 in his career.

The game was chaotic, with quality on the ball, but also diving and some erratic defending.

With their riches, PSG have the French league sewn up, and this level is their truest test. But inexperience let the game slip away in the last seven minutes.

They visited the Bernabeu on a six-game winning streak, and with 33 victories in 38 games this season. They also netted a record 24 goals in the group stage.

This was only their fourth defeat of the campaign.

Could Madrid cope with PSG’S rampant front three, and stop Cavani, Neymar and Mbappe, who started the night with 70 goals between them?

They had plenty of work to do at the back in a fabulous game of elites which lived up to its billing.

Madrid were on fire at the start and finish, intent on forgetting their disappointing domestic campaign of 12 wins in 22 games.

Kroos demanded a penalty after just 75 seconds under a challenge from Yuri Berchiche.kroos then went close with a shot, but with Neymar looking elusive on the break, Berchiche had the French side’s first attempt.

Ronaldo (with Neymar below) was presented with a fine half-chance when Marcelo swiped a brilliant early ball behind the defence.

Moments earlier Neymar had faltered 18 yards out, and Ronaldo fluffed his chance – keeper Alphonse Areola hit in the face by the shot.

In between the goals, the chances flowed. Neymar danced forward, but again his final connection was faulty.

Ronaldo found space, but rushed his shot and blazed over.

Breathless and brilliant in the first 45, and only a desperate outstretched leg from Sergio Ramos kept Cavani’s shot on the swivel out.

Real were soon back on it. Karim Benzema had Areola at full stretch from outside the box, and then won their crucial penalty.

It was a pity the referee had to blow for the break, such was the entertainment.

After the interval, Mbappe was denied by Keylor Navas. And Rabiot by Ramos’s chest.

But it was Ronaldo’s night. Again.