Real Madrid roared back from a dismal domestic campaign and went on to beat runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain 3-1 in a Champions League last-16 first leg on Wednesday.

Adrien Rabiot provided the lead to PSG in the 33rd minute but Cristiano Ronaldo levelled from the penalty spot on the stroke of halftime. That was his 100th Champions League goal for Real to set up a pulsating second half.

With just seven minutes remaining in the game, Ronaldo put Real in front in the with a scrappy strike from close range and Brazilian left back Marcelo further stretched the lead in the 86th, giving PSG a tough task in the second leg at the Parc des Princes on March 6.

The 12 times European champions Real against the Qatar-backed Parisians, who have never gone beyond the quarter-finals in the competition but boasted an attacking trio that cost over 460 million euros (408.67 million pounds) to assemble in transfer fees alone. The two squads’ combined cost exceeded 1.2 billion euros.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos talking to reporters following the match said, “This is a very important victory, these Champions League games are nights you always want to remember and we showed exactly how you need to play.”

“We showed lots of personality and proved that despite all the speculation about us you can never presume Madrid are dead.”

Embattled Real coach Zinedine Zidane has faced serious questioning for his side falling 17 points behind Liga leaders Barcelona and reverted to almost the same line-up that outclassed Juventus to win last year’s final, leaving Gareth Bale out for Isco.