Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City (6-3 agg): Mbappe hat-trick fires Los Blancos past Cityzens into Champions League last 16

Real Madrid cruised into the Champions League last 16 with a dominant 3-1 victory over Manchester City at a packed Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, sealing a 6-3 aggregate win. Kylian Mbappe stole the show with a stunning hat-trick, sending the reigning champions through to the next round, where they will face either Bayer Leverkusen or city rivals Atletico Madrid.

For City boss Pep Guardiola, the defeat marked a historic low, as it was the first time in his managerial career that one of his teams had failed to reach the Champions League knockout stages. Meanwhile, Madrid continued their pursuit of a record-extending 16th title with an emphatic display.

"It was a perfect night," said Mbappe. "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 thrilling first-leg showdown at the Etihad Stadium, the return fixture was far more one-sided. City, trailing 3-2 from the first leg, suffered a major setback before kickoff when top scorer Erling Haaland was ruled out with a knee injury. Without their attacking talisman, Guardiola’s side struggled to threaten Madrid, failing to register a single shot on target in the first half.

Madrid took full control from the outset and never looked back. In just the fourth minute, Mbappe capitalized on a defensive mistake from Ruben Dias, lobbing the ball over Ederson to give the hosts an early lead. Things quickly worsened for City when John Stones was forced off injured, further weakening their backline.

Mbappe doubled the advantage in the 33rd minute, showcasing his lethal finishing with a close-range strike after a clever cutback that left Josko Gvardiol helpless. Real continued their relentless attacking display, and Mbappe completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute, curling a left-footed strike past Ederson to cap off a masterclass performance.

Despite Madrid’s dominance, City managed a late consolation goal when Nico Gonzalez tapped in after Omar Marmoush's free kick struck the crossbar. However, it did little to change the narrative of Madrid’s comprehensive triumph.

This latest showdown marked the fifth Champions League knockout clash between the two clubs in the past six seasons, with Madrid eliminating City for the second consecutive year. Notably, in each of the last three seasons, the winner of this heavyweight battle has gone on to lift the trophy—Real in 2022 and 2024, and City in 2023.

With momentum firmly on their side, Ancelotti’s team now turns their focus to the next challenge as they aim to extend their European dominance.

SportsLigue