Kylian Mbappé made history on Wednesday night, becoming the first player to score a Champions League knockout round hat-trick against a team managed by Pep Guardiola.
The French superstar delivered a ruthless display, netting in the 4th, 33rd, and 61st minutes to propel Real Madrid to a commanding 3-1 victory over Manchester City and an emphatic 6-3 aggregate triumph.
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Mbappé wasted no time putting Real Madrid ahead, scoring just three minutes and 35 seconds into the match—the club’s earliest goal in a Champions League fixture since April 2018 against Juventus.
It also marked the fastest goal City had conceded in the competition since October 2018, when Hoffenheim scored within 43 seconds.
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Despite Nico González pulling one back for City in the dying moments, it was nothing more than a consolation, as Real Madrid comfortably secured their spot in the Champions League last 16.
Mbappé runs riot
After staging a dramatic comeback in Manchester last week, Real Madrid only needed to avoid defeat in the second leg to progress.
However, Carlo Ancelotti’s men had no intention of playing it safe. They struck early when Raúl Asencio’s long ball found Mbappé, who lobbed the onrushing Ederson to open the scoring.
Just past the half-hour mark, Madrid doubled their lead in style. A fluid attacking move ended with Rodrygo threading a pass to Mbappé, who displayed incredible close control to evade City defenders before smashing home his second of the night.
With the tie all but secured, Mbappé completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute, curling a stunning effort into the far corner—his second treble of the season.
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However, Real Madrid were denied a clean sheet in stoppage time, as former Barcelona midfielder Nico González capitalized on a rebound from Omar Marmoush’s free-kick to grab a late goal for City.
Madrid’s victory sets up a last-16 clash against either Atlético Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen, with the draw set to take place later this week.
Other matches
Paris Saint-Germain delivered a ruthless performance, demolishing fellow French side Brest 7-0 to secure a staggering 10-0 aggregate victory. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund played out a goalless draw with Sporting CP, but their commanding 3-0 first-leg win ensured their safe passage to the next round.
The tie between PSV and Juventus provided late drama, as both sides finished level at 2-2 on aggregate after 90 minutes, forcing the contest into extra time.
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