Adrien Rabiot PSG Real Madrid Champions LeagueCHRISTOPHE SIMON

Rabiot tears into PSG after Madrid loss: 'We're always floored in the same way'

Following a devastating 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie, Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot pulled no punches in assessing his team's collapse from an 1-0 lead. 

The 22-year-old put the Ligue 1 leaders in front just after the half-hour mark, finishing well after a deflected cross fell kindly for him in the Madrid box. 

But PSG could not hold onto the lead, with Cristiano Ronaldo putting the Spanish side back on level terms from the penalty spot late in the first half before sending his side in front late in the second half. 

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PSG's first-leg fate was sealed in the 87th when Marcelo tucked home Los Blancos' third of the night, completing a collapse that the French midfielder believes has become a staple of his club. 

"I am disappointed," he told BeIN after the match. "We started by producing the match that we needed to.

"We always say the same things, we always do the same things, and in the end, we are always floored in the same way."

While PSG are the runaway leaders in Ligue 1 and always favoured to win competitions in France, the ambitions of Paris club have been set on winning in Europe's top competition. 

But Rabiot doesn't believe his team came to Madrid ready to take on the twice-defending Champions League winners given the lack of competitive opponents in their domestic league.

“It’s all well and good putting eight goals past Dijon, but it’s in matches like this that you have to stand up and be counted,” he said. 

While Rabiot's outlook on the match was not a positive one, team-mate Julian Draxler is holding out hope that the side can return home and get the needed result. 

"It is very frustrating we let the match slip out of out hands in the end," he said. 

"But we should not be too negative. A 2-0 at home is clearly possible."

PSG were knocked out of the Champions league at this stage by Barcelona last season, but added Brazilian star Neymar in the summer in hopes of making a push for the crown this year. 

The French side will now need to come up with something special to overturn Madrid's two-goal lead when the clubs meet at Parc des Princes on 6 March. 

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