In the Parc des Princes there was only one king of the Champions League. This has been Cristiano Ronaldo’s competition and he scored the goal that killed off Paris St-Germain’s hopes of overturning a 3-1 deficit against the holders Real Madrid.

For PSG, their season is now over and that will be crushingly hard to take, while coach Unai Emery will pay the price. The Spaniard will not be in charge next season, while there will be bitter disappointment at the French giants falling short again in a competition they desperately want to win. “I want to apologise to the fans,” midfielder Adrien Rabiot said. PSG provided the promised sound but not the fury.

His goal was also his 53rd away from home in the Champions League – another record – and his 117th in total. This season he has 14 in this competition, 31 overall and 22 goals in his past 13 matches. That is some return for a player in ­decline.

He scored with a trademark, towering header. It was one of those goals we have seen him execute so many times before as he hangs in the air before powering home. In scoring – as he did twice in the first leg – he led Real to an eighth successive Champions League quarter-final as they strive to win it for a third season in a row.

That is the kind of return PSG crave, and their task was made all the more difficult by the absence of the injured Neymar. The game was too much for teenager Kylian Mbappe, who disappointed, and also Marco Verratti, who started brightly but was sent off. Having been booked for a first-half tackle, he was cautioned again for dissent as he petulantly shouted at referee Felix Brych. Verratti, like the rest of his team, again lacked maturity.

What now for PSG? Emery will be sacked and there will be fresh ­reports in Spain that Neymar wants out, but they are adamant he will stay. They are also adamant they hold no interest in Jose Mourinho, but they need to toughen up.

“It is a disappointment to lose in the last 16, but not to lose against Real Madrid,” Emery said, but that will not cut it.