Mbappe hat-trick fires Real Madrid into last-16 of CL
Agency :
Real Madrid easily beat Manchester City 3-1 with a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick on Wednesday in their Champions League (CL) play-off second leg at a raucous Santiago Bernabeu stadium, earning them a 6-3 aggregate victory and a place in the last-16.
Last year’s champions will face either Bayer Leverkusen or city rivals Atletico Madrid, depending on Friday’s draw, as they seek a record-extending 16th title.
It was the first time in City Coach Pep Guardiola’s illustrious career that one of his teams in the Champions League had failed to reach the round of 16.
“It was a perfect night,” Mbappe said.
“It’s only logical that Real Madrid advance to the last 16 of the Champions League. We are very strong at home and it’s great to give joy to our fans.”
After a breathtaking first leg packed with goals and individual brilliance from both sides at the Etihad Stadium, the return game was thoroughly one-sided.
Real did not have to work too hard to subdue their sorry rivals who failed to manage a shot on target in the first half, looking a shadow of Guardiola’s dominant force from past years.
Already 3-2 down from the first game, City’s task became even harder an hour before kick-off when they announced a starting 11 without leading striker Erling Haaland, who suffered a knee injury at the weekend.
Real took full control of proceedings from the off and never looked under threat with the hapless visitors lucky not to lose by a larger margin.
Mbappe opened the scoring with Real’s first attack in the fourth minute, taking advantage of another massive blunder by City’s defense when Captain Ruben Dias missed his header and left the French forward free to lob over the onrushing Ederson.
Things went from bad to worse for the English team after defender John Stones went down two minutes later with an injury, forcing Guardiola to bring Nathan Ake off the bench and burn a substitution early.
Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham toyed with City’s complacent defense, keeping the ball on the deck and creating several chances until Mbappe scored again in the 33rd minute with a close-range strike after a humiliating cutback that left defender Josko Gvardiol on the floor.