In a stunning display at the Santiago Bernabéu, Kylian Mbappé's hat-trick propelled Real Madrid to a 3-1 victory over Manchester City, securing a 6-3 aggregate win and eliminating Pep Guardiola's side from the UEFA Champions League.
Mbappé wasted no time, opening the scoring in the fourth minute by lobbing Ederson after outpacing Rúben Dias. He doubled the lead in the 33rd minute, skillfully maneuvering past Josko Gvardiol before calmly finishing. Mbappé completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute with a precise left-footed strike from the edge of the box.
Manchester City, missing the injured Erling Haaland, struggled to penetrate Real Madrid's defense. Their sole consolation came in stoppage time when Nico González netted a late goal. This defeat marks the first time under Guardiola that City has failed to reach the Champions League knockout stages.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti lauded Mbappé's performance, suggesting he has the potential to reach the heights of Cristiano Ronaldo. Ancelotti emphasized the team's collective effort, stating, "We played better as a group and were able to give a lot of joy to the fans."
This victory propels Real Madrid into the Champions League last 16, while Manchester City faces a challenging path ahead, needing to regroup and focus on domestic competitions to salvage their season.
