Real Madrid booked their spot in the Champions League last 16 with a dominant 3-1 victory over Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu, sealing a commanding 6-3 aggregate win.
Pep Guardiola’s side arrived in Madrid needing to overturn a one-goal deficit after a disappointing first-leg finish, but their hopes were dashed early. Kylian Mbappe wasted no time in making his mark, lofting the ball over Ederson just four minutes in to give Madrid the lead. The French superstar then doubled his tally in the 32nd minute, effectively ending City’s comeback dreams before halftime.
Mbappe completed his hat-trick in the second half, smashing home Madrid’s sixth goal across the two legs. Although Nico Gonzalez managed a late consolation strike for the visitors, it was too little, too late for the reigning Premier League champions.
With this victory, Real Madrid now await either Bayer Leverkusen or city rivals Atletico Madrid in the next round, with the draw set to take place on Friday.
Real Madrid Player Ratings (4-4-2)
- GK: Thibaut Courtois – 7.2/10
Made some crucial saves when called upon but had a relatively comfortable night. - RB: Federico Valverde (c) – 8.3/10
Led by example, both defensively and in supporting the attack. - CB: Raul Asencio – 7.7/10
Showed great composure at the back, limiting City’s attacking threat. - CB: Antonio Rudiger – 6.9/10
A solid performance, though he had some shaky moments. - LB: Ferland Mendy – 6.7/10
Provided defensive stability but wasn’t heavily involved going forward. - RM: Rodrygo – 8.5/10
A constant threat on the right flank, creating chances and linking up well with Mbappe. - CM: Aurelien Tchouameni – 7.6/10
Controlled the midfield and disrupted City’s rhythm. - CM: Dani Ceballos – 7.1/10
Neat and tidy in possession, keeping Madrid’s midfield ticking. - LM: Jude Bellingham – 7.2/10
Not his most explosive performance, but still influential in Madrid’s build-up play. - ST: Vinicius Junior – 7.2/10
Lively as always, causing problems for City’s defense. - ST: Kylian Mbappe – 9.7/10
Simply unplayable. A stunning hat-trick that proved why he’s one of the best in the world.
Substitutes:
- Eduardo Camavinga (78’ for Ceballos) – 6.1/10
Helped see out the game but didn’t have a huge impact. - Brahim Diaz (78’ for Mbappe) – 6.0/10
Came on when the game was already decided. - Luka Modric (83’ for Tchouameni) – N/A
Not enough time to make an impact. - David Alaba (90’ for Valverde) – N/A
A late substitution to run down the clock. - Endrick (90’ for Vinicius) – N/A
Given a brief Champions League debut.
Unused Subs: Andriy Lunin (GK), Sergio Mestre (GK), Lucas Vazquez, Fran Garcia, Jesus Vallejo, Arda Guler.
Manchester City Player Ratings (4-4-2)
- GK: Ederson – 6.2/10
Left helpless by his defense but could have done better with Mbappe’s second. - RB: Abdukodir Khusanov – 6.6/10
Showed promise but struggled against Madrid’s attacking firepower. - CB: John Stones – N/A
Forced off with an early injury. - CB: Ruben Dias (c) – 6.1/10
A tough night for the City captain, unable to contain Madrid’s attack. - LB: Josko Gvardiol – 5.7/10
Struggled defensively and offered little going forward. - RM: Phil Foden – 6.5/10
Worked hard but couldn’t influence the game. - CM: Nico Gonzalez – 7.3/10
Scored City’s only goal and showed glimpses of quality. - CM: Ilkay Gundogan – 6.9/10
Controlled possession but lacked cutting edge. - LM: Bernardo Silva – 6.7/10
Looked lively but was unable to break down Madrid’s defense. - ST: Savinho – 6.2/10
Couldn’t get into the game against Madrid’s defense. - ST: Omar Marmoush – 6.6/10
A frustrating night with limited service.
Substitutes:
- Nathan Ake (8’ for Stones) – 6.2/10
Slotted into defense but couldn’t stop Madrid’s dominance. - James McAtee (77’ for Foden) – 6.1/10
Little time to make an impact. - Mateo Kovacic (77’ for Gundogan) – 6.1/10
Struggled to change the game late on.
Unused Subs: Stefan Ortega (GK), Scott Carson (GK), Rico Lewis, Kevin De Bruyne, Matheus Nunes, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland.
Man of the Match – Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
Mbappe stole the show with a stunning hat-trick, leading Real Madrid past Manchester City in style. His clinical finishing and electric pace were too much for the City defense to handle.
With Madrid cruising into the last 16, City’s struggles continue in what has been a challenging season for Pep Guardiola’s men. Their focus now shifts back to domestic competitions, while Madrid look ahead to their next Champions League challenge.
