Cristiano Ronaldo was once again the main man for Real Madrid vs PSG but was determined to quit last year... his renaissance could now lead them to a third straight Champions League title

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If someone had told Cristiano Ronaldo back in the summer that he would have his night of glory at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League this season he might have imagined himself doing so in the blue shirt of the Parisians.

Upset at the investigation into his tax affairs last summer he was briefing that he would never play in Spain again. And with a history of flirtations with Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Paris seemed like a decent destination for him in the autumn of his career.

It never happened. PSG preferred the younger model in Neymar Jnr. Too bad perhaps, because it turns out Ronaldo's performances in the Champions League so far this season suggest it’s still glorious summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 12th Champions League goal of the season vs PSG on Tuesday

Ronaldo has successfully picked himself up from a very poor start to the La Liga season

He has 12 goals in the tournament and is well on his way to finishing as top Champions League scorer once more. His league form has even picked up and he now has 31 goals in 33 games in all competitions. 

‘Is he really 33 years old?’ asked one commentator in Diario AS on Wednesday morning.

The resurrection from that flat early season is remarkable. It was only a few months ago when he was dropping comments about ‘why no new contract?’ like stink bombs in the post match interview zones and, not for the first time, he looked on his way out.

But the more time passes the better Ronaldo and Madrid seem to go together. It’s a perfect fit. They are two footballing institutions – both grandiose, arrogant, but with the remarkable numbers to completely back-up the posturing. The bite is as bad as the bark – as PSG found out over two legs.

And if his goals in the Bernabeu three weeks ago had been from the penalty spot and in off his knee, the goal on 51 minutes was one to be framed and hung in the museum he has built for himself. 

He appeared at the back post, rising out of the mist from all those PSG flares, hanging there long enough for Lucas Vazquez’s cross to reach him and then heading the ball down past Alphonse Areola.

Real Madrid's No 7 rose highest and directed his header into the net to put them 1-0 ahead

This game was significant for him not just because it was another goal and another big win. This was a new look Real Madrid and yet he was still the star of it.

With Gareth Bale and Isco on the bench. Zinedine Zidane had opted for the youth of 22-year-old Marco Asensio and the reliability of Lucas Vazquez. They combined to set up that first goal but it was ‘old man’ Ronaldo who applied the finishing touch.

There were a lot of old legs out on the pitch at the Parc des Princes. But they were all wearing blue.

Thiago Silva delivered the sort of performance that made it easy to understand why Unai Emery had overlooked him in the first leg.

Dani Alves was full of running but his forward forays came to nothing and defensively he was nutmegged by Asensio’s pass that led to the first goal.

Ronaldo is once again proving he is not yet finished despite turning 33-years-old last month

And Angel Di Maria also looked a spent force. Like Alves he still has the energy but it took him down too many cul-de-sacs. He never really threatened.

If all these players have been tapped on the shoulder by old father time it seems Ronaldo rather than have the years catch up with him is still chasing the trophies. He is the pursuer, not the pursued. 

He wants another Champions League which he knows could lead to another Ballon d’Or. Tuesday's goal was his 57th goal in knockout games in Europe – better even than Messi who lags well behind on 38.

PSG had been leaderless over the two legs. Neymar showed flashes of brilliance in the first game but played very much his own match. And he was absent from the second game nursing that cracked metatarsal.

Madrid, in contrast, still have various leaders and Ronaldo remains the first among them.

Ronaldo is not ready to walk quietly off into the mist - he wants yet another European title