Suddenly there was Kylian Mbappé once again. With 45 seconds left, just when it looked as if victory had evaded a Paris Saint-Germain side that could have won this match a lot earlier and three times over, he delivered the solution that they had sought all night. Dashing between Lucas Vázquez and Éder Militão, leaning one way and then the other, as smooth as he was swift, Mbappé dropped the shoulder and slotted through Thibaut Courtois’ legs.
The release was immense at the Parc des Princes, where they could have been forgiven for becoming resigned to this moment never arriving, denied despite their dominance until that last magical moment. It took 22 shots, including a penalty that Lionel Messi had seen saved by Courtois, but at last the hosts had done it. It had been worth the wait and it had to be him: not just the man Real Madrid hope to sign but a footballer of rare gifts and the outstanding player here.
