Real Madrid triumphed 3-1 over Manchester City on Wednesday in their Champions League playoff second leg at a buzzing Santiago Bernabeu, securing a 6-3 aggregate win and advancing to the last 16.
The defending champions will face either Bayer Leverkusen or city rivals Atletico Madrid, depending on Friday’s draw, as they aim for a record-extending 16th title.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the fourth minute, capitalizing on a major defensive error by City, where captain Rúben Dias misjudged his header, allowing the French forward to slot the ball over goalkeeper Éderson.
The forward doubled his tally in the 33rd minute, finishing with a close-range strike after leaving Josko Gvardiol on the ground with a brilliant cutback.
Real Madrid continued to dominate, creating chances against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Mbappé completed his hat trick in the 61st minute with a left-footed shot from outside the box, nestling the ball just inside Éderson’s right post.
Manchester City pulled one back late in the game, with Nico Gonzalez scoring from a rebound after Omar Marmoush’s free kick hit the crossbar.
However, the goal had little impact on an otherwise brilliant night for the Spanish giants.
