Mbappé Hat Trick Sends Real Madrid Past Manchester City 6-3 Aggregate to Champions League Last 16

When Kylian Mbappé blasted a shot past Ederson Moraes in the fourth minute at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the air cracked with the kind of electricity only Real Madrid’s home crowd can generate. It was just the beginning. By the 61st minute, Mbappé had completed a hat trick — his third in Champions League knockout play — and Real Madrid CF had sealed a 6-3 aggregate win over Manchester City FC, advancing to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. The 3-1 home win completed a brutal dismantling of the defending Premier League champions, who entered the tie as favorites but left with their European dreams shattered. The match, played under a closed roof with 81,044 fans roaring like a storm, was a masterclass in composure, pace, and clinical finishing — and it had nothing to do with luck.

From Etihad to Bernabéu: A Two-Legged Collapse

The story began eight days earlier at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, where Real Madrid stunned the home crowd with a 3-2 win. Jude Bellingham’s 90+2’ winner that night was the kind of moment that defines legacies — a header off a Vinícius Júnior cross, a last-gasp stab at redemption for a team that had looked out of sorts for 89 minutes. But even then, the writing was on the wall. Manchester City, missing Erling Haaland due to injury, couldn’t replicate their usual rhythm. And when they arrived in Madrid, they were already playing catch-up.

Mbappé’s Night: A Hat Trick for the Ages

The first goal at the Bernabéu wasn’t just fast — it was surgical. Raul Asencio spotted Mbappé sprinting into space with a 40-yard diagonal, and the Frenchman didn’t break stride. A touch, a feint, then a chip over Ederson that floated like a leaf in autumn wind. The stadium exploded. The second came from a counter after a Manchester City corner was cleared. Mbappé intercepted a lazy pass, turned Nathan Ake inside out, and slotted it low past a diving keeper. The third? Pure instinct. A Vinícius Júnior cutback found Mbappé unmarked in the six-yard box, and he didn’t even need to look up before firing it into the roof of the net.

By then, Manchester City’s spirit was broken. Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva had chances, but their passes lacked conviction. John Stones’ early injury — a hamstring tear after just eight minutes — was the first domino. Without him, City’s backline looked like a house of cards. And without Haaland, their entire attacking identity vanished.

Managerial Battle: Ancelotti’s Calm vs. Guardiola’s Frustration

Carlo Ancelotti, 65, stood calmly on the touchline, arms folded, occasionally nodding. He’s seen it all — 15 Champions League titles as a coach and player combined. His pre-match line — “These matches are so high-level you have to be at your best in every area” — wasn’t just coaching speak. It was a warning. And Real Madrid delivered.

Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, looked like a man who’d lost his compass. He paced, he argued with officials, he threw his headset on the bench after a questionable VAR decision. His team had dominated possession — 62% — but created little. The stats didn’t lie: 11 shots, only 3 on target. Real Madrid had 9 shots — 6 on target. That’s not just efficiency. That’s ruthlessness.

A Legacy Extended, a Dynasty Continues

This was Real Madrid’s fourth straight season facing Manchester City in the Champions League knockout stages. In 2022, they overturned a 4-3 deficit in the semis. Last year, they won a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw. This time, they didn’t need drama. They didn’t need extra time. They just needed Mbappé — and they got him.

With this win, Real Madrid extends their record to 15 Champions League titles — more than any other club in history. They’re the only team to win it back-to-back since AC Milan in 1989-90. And now, as two-time defending champions, they’re the team everyone fears. Their next opponent? The draw on Friday, February 21, 2025, could pit them against Club Atlético de Madrid — a fierce local rival — or Bayer 04 Leverkusen, the Bundesliga’s surprise powerhouse.

Manchester City’s European Nightmare

For Manchester City, this elimination is a seismic shock. They won the Champions League in 2023. They’ve spent £1.2 billion in the last five years. They’ve hired the best coach in the world. And yet, they’ve now failed to reach the last 16 in two of the last three seasons. Haaland’s absence was a blow, but it wasn’t the whole story. The midfield lacked control. The defense looked disorganized. And without a clinical finisher, their creativity meant nothing.

Guardiola’s team will now focus on the Premier League and FA Cup, but the void left by this exit will linger. Their fans won’t forget this. And the rest of Europe? They’ll see it as a sign — Real Madrid isn’t just winning. They’re still the standard.

What’s Next?

The Round of 16 draw takes place Friday, February 21, 2025. The matches will be played across March 2025. Real Madrid will be heavy favorites in any tie. But don’t count out Club Atlético de Madrid. They’ve beaten them before. And they’re hungry. Meanwhile, Manchester City’s season turns inward — domestic glory now their only hope.