Kylian Mbappé delivered a stunning hat-trick as Real Madrid cruised to a 3-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, securing their place in the Champions League last 16 with a 6-3 aggregate triumph.
Pep Guardiola’s side were never in contention, failing to make any significant impact on a dominant Madrid performance, with their only consolation coming in stoppage time when Nico González tapped in a rebound after a free-kick hit the crossbar.
Mbappé, who has been in sensational form after a slow start to life at Madrid, opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a deft lob over City goalkeeper Ederson. He then added a second in the 33rd minute, linking up seamlessly with his teammates as the English side’s defense was carved open. The French striker completed his hat-trick in the second half with a clinical low strike from the edge of the box, taking his tally to seven goals in just 10 Champions League appearances this season.
City, the 2023 Champions League winners, were a pale shadow of their best, continuing their struggles in what has been a mixed campaign. Guardiola, who had already been dealt the blow of having Erling Haaland on the bench after a knock against Newcastle, watched on as his side lacked the urgency and cohesion needed to overcome Madrid.
In contrast, Real Madrid were almost flawless. Antonio Rudiger, returning from injury, slotted back into defense seamlessly, and Aurelien Tchouameni was restored to his preferred midfield role. Madrid dominated from the outset, with Mbappé’s early lob setting the tone. The French forward shrugged off Ruben Dias before delicately lifting the ball over Ederson, capitalizing on a long pass from young center-back Raul Asencio.
City’s woes continued as John Stones limped off with an injury, adding to their mounting misfortune. Meanwhile, Real Madrid remained in control, with Fede Valverde’s deflected shot narrowly missing and Ederson denying Mbappé after a fine pass from Tchouameni.
Mbappé’s second goal arrived in the 33rd minute, following a brilliant move involving Madrid’s “fantastic four” attacking players. Jude Bellingham fed Vinícius Júnior, who rolled the ball across for Rodrygo, who then set up Mbappé to expertly finish at the near post, leaving Josko Gvardiol wrong-footed.
Guardiola had earlier claimed City had only “one percent chance” of beating Madrid, and his team played like they believed it. Madrid’s only blemish came when Bellingham was booked for a foul on Phil Foden, meaning he will miss the first leg of the last-16 tie.
As the second half unfolded, Mbappé completed his hat-trick in style, creating space on the edge of the box before firing beyond Ederson as City’s defense hesitated. The Frenchman departed to a standing ovation, and while Madrid continued to create opportunities, they were unable to extend their lead further.
City managed to pull a goal back in stoppage time when Omar Marmoush’s free-kick struck the crossbar, and González was on hand to convert the rebound, but it proved to be little more than a consolation.
With this loss, City have now dropped 13 of their last 26 matches across all competitions. They will next face Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, as they battle to secure a top-four finish.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, remain strong contenders in three major competitions, and with Mbappé in such incredible form, they will be confident of pursuing silverware on all fronts. In the last 16, they await a clash with either city rivals Atlético Madrid or Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
