By Our Football Correspondent, Paris
REAL MADRID’S superstars shone bright under the Parisian lights last night as they snatched a vital 3-2 victory over Paris FC in a breathless Champions League playoff first leg. While Arsenal were busy dismantling OH Leuven elsewhere in the competition, all eyes in the French capital were on the Galacticas.
It was a night for the history books as Athenea del Castillo marked her 200th appearance for the Spanish giants with a goal that proved class is permanent.
The evening started as a nightmare for the visitors when Kaja Korošec fired the French side ahead after just 11 minutes. Paris looked physical and dangerous, threatening to bully the visitors out of the tie.
But you can’t keep world-class talent down for long. Caroline Weir, the heartbeat of this Madrid side, hauled her team level in the 39th minute.
After Sara Däbritz saw her long-range effort rattle the woodwork, Weir was the sharpest player in the box, reacting first to poke home the rebound.
The momentum shifted instantly. Just six minutes later, on the stroke of half-time, the “Bicentenary Girl” Athenea struck.
Celebrating her double-century of games, she finished a clinical counter-attack with a cross-shot that left the Paris keeper stranded.
CAICEDO CLINCH
The second half was a showcase for the brilliance of Linda Caicedo.
The Colombian sensation, recently crowned the Best Ibero-American Player of 2025, showed exactly why she is the most talked-about teenager in world football.
In the 83rd minute, she latched onto a monstrous long ball from goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez, burned past her marker with frightening pace, and slotted home for 3-1.
A late consolation from Paris’s Maïwenn Mendy in the 89th minute set up a nervy finish, but Madrid held firm.
The 3-2 victory gives the Spanish side a massive advantage heading back to the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium next Wednesday.
With Barcelona likely waiting in the quarter-finals, Real Madrid’s stars have sent a clear message: they aren’t just here to participate; they’re here to take the crown.
