Madrid, Feb 20 (IANS) Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid eased into the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League on Thursday (IST) after a 3-1 win over Manchester City in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, securing a 6-3 aggregate win after last week’s 3-2 victory in Manchester.
City striker Erling Haaland was carrying a knee injury, and the Norwegian, who had scored twice a week ago, started the game on the subs’ bench as his side struggled from start to finish, looking fragile in defense again, while failing to produce anything in attack until the game was all but over, reports Xinhua.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was able to bring Antonio Rudiger back after injury, which allowed him to play Raul Asencio at right-back and move Federico Valverde into midfield.
In the fourth minute, Asencio sent over a long ball that Ruben Dias failed to deal with under pressure from Mbappe, and the France forward lobbed the ball over City goalkeeper Ederson, who was caught in no-man’s land.
Things got worse for City a minute later when John Stones went down under pressure from Vinicius and had to be replaced by Nathan Ake.
Mbappe doubled Madrid’s lead in the 33rd minute when he finished off a flowing move which ended with Rodrygo passing to the Frenchman to turn and score.
The only bad news for Madrid in the first half was a yellow card for Jude Bellingham which means he will be suspended for the next round’s first leg.
Rodrygo and Valverde both went close to Real Madrid’s third, with Ederson looking far from secure before Mbappe completed his hat-trick, cutting in from the right and scoring with his left foot in the 61st minute.
Madrid’s third goal ended any lingering chance Man City had of getting back into the game, with Pep Guardiola opting not to risk Haaland for a lost cause, and Nico Gonzalez 92nd-minute strike after Omar Marmoush’s free kick had hit the Madrid bar proved nothing more than a consolation goal.
–IANS
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