French rapper “leaks WhatsApp message” from Benzema before PSG heroics

Benzema scored a second-half hat-trick against PSG

French rapper Niska has 'leaked' a WhatsApp conversation he had with Karim Benzema before the striker's heroics against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Madrid overturned a 1-0 first leg deficit to progress to the quarterfinals, winning 3-2 on aggregate, thanks to a second-half hat-trick from Benzema. The 34-year-old scored in 61', 76' and 78' to secure the Spanish giants' place in the next round of the competition, after Kylian Mbappe had put the home side in front - and 2-0 up on aggregate - in the 39th minute. While overturning a 1-0 deficit against the Parisians is no simple task, it appears that Benzema was confident of doing so - before a ball had even been kicked. Niska, who is a good friend of the French forward, has since leaked a WhatsApp conversation between him and the Madrid man, where Benzema insisted that 'PSG would do nothing'. As reported by ActuFoot, Benzema wrote: "It’s going to be explosive. They [PSG] will do nothing at all. This is my story." Benzema's performance against Mauricio Pochettino's side led to praise from several former players, with Gary Lineker dubbing him 'one of the greatest number nines of all-time'. https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1501679628032872450

While Benzema stole the headlines for his hat-trick, he was also involved in a controversial incident on the night - with PSG adamant that he had fouled Gianluigi Donnarumma in the build-up to Madrid's equaliser.

The Ligue 1 giants were so incensed by referee Danny Makkelie's failure to blow for a foul on goalkeeper Donnarumma that president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo left the presidential box after the full-time whistle, shouting that the decision was "shameful" before making their way to the tunnel in search of the referee. Related links:

• Furious PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi “removed” from referee room by security
• Pochettino on the brink after PSG collapse in spectacular fashion
• Marco Verratti could face lengthy ban after claiming PSG are ‘s*** on by referees’