The Independent
·19 February 2025
Kylian Mbappe hat-trick adds another chapter to Man City-Real Madrid rivalry
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The Independent
·19 February 2025
Manchester City were dumped out of the Champions League as Kylian Mbappe scored a sensational hat-trick to give Real Madrid a dominant 3-1 win at the Bernabeu.
The knockout phase play-off second leg was the latest memorable match between the pair in Europe’s top competition.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five other times the fixture served up a classic.
Another case of City conceding late proving costly. Bernardo Silva had given them a second-minute lead in the Bernabeu but Ruben Dias’ own goal and Rodrygo’s strike within three minutes of each other turned things around pretty quickly. Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol thought they had won it in the last 25 minutes only for Federico Valverde’s stunning volley ensuring they went to the Etihad level and a draw there saw Real Madrid go through on penalties.
The roles were reversed for this one as, having earned a draw in the Spanish capital, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were destroyed in Manchester. Two first-half goals from Silva – “one of the best players I have seen in my life” said Guardiola afterwards – put City in control and Manuel Akanji and Julian Alvarez made certain late on to avenge the previous year’s semi-final heartbreak and pave the way for City’s first Champions League triumph just over three weeks later.
Possibly the collapse to end all collapses in the Champions League. City were two goals ahead on aggregate going into the 90th minute after Riyad Mahrez’s goal but Rodrygo then converted from close range. His header 90 seconds later forced extra time and a shell-shocked City then conceded the decisive goal to a Karim Benzema penalty five minutes into the additional period.
Eight days earlier City had edged a seven-goal classic. Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus put them in control and, even after Benzema pulled one back, Foden and Silva scored either side of a superb Vinicius Junior effort. However, Benzema’s 82nd-minute penalty was a blow to City’s confidence.
On this occasion it was a late comeback from City which gave them their first win over Real. Isco had put the hosts ahead on the hour but Gabriel Jesus headed home an equaliser 12 minutes from time. When Raheem Sterling was brought down, De Bruyne slotted home the 83rd-minute penalty, after which Sergio Ramos was sent off for fouling Jesus.