S Poddar
Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League campaign ended in dramatic fashion last night following a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in the second leg of their quarter-final encounter. Kylian Mbappe was the star of the show at the Santiago Bernabéu, scoring all three goals for the European champions and guaranteeing City’s exit from the competition.
This outcome came after a 3-2 narrow defeat in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, so Madrid went through with a 6-3 aggregate. City join Celtic as another British side to be eliminated from this season’s Champions League with this loss.
Mbappe Provides a Masterclass
Mbappe, signed by Real Madrid in the summer on a free, produced a thrilling performance on the biggest stage. The French striker didn’t take long to make his mark, scoring just four minutes into the game. His lightning speed and clinical finishing left City’s backline reeling as he scored two more goals, one on either side of the half-time break, to seal his hat trick.
Post-game, Mbappe celebrated the performance, saying, “I want to write history with Real Madrid.” Having struggled with a sluggish transition to life in Spain, the 25-year-old appears to have settled in nicely to his new home, already accumulating 27 goals in all competitions this term.
“The adaptation phase for me is over and now I must demonstrate my quality,” Mbappe said. “I want to play well here, I want to leave a mark on the season. We wanted to win. We wanted to advance to the next round. For us, it was only natural that Real advanced to the next round of the Champions League.”
His impressive performance guaranteed Madrid’s qualification to the semi-finals, keeping their hopes of consecutive Champions League titles alive.
City’s Misery Continues
Manchester City, who have been known to dominate in the past few seasons, including their record-breaking treble-winning season in 2023, were outplayed in Madrid. The match was one-sided until the final minutes when Nico González scored a goal for City in the 92nd minute, providing a meager consolation for Pep Guardiola’s team.
Looking back on the loss, Guardiola conceded his side had been second best during the evening. “The best team won. They deserved it. This is the benchmark. We have to accept it and move forward.”
City, who have not been able to match last season’s form, now turn their attention back to the Premier League, where they have another tough test at the hands of Liverpool on Sunday. The Etihad Stadium will witness a high-profile match as City seek to close the gap with the league leaders.
What’s Next for the English Clubs?
With City out, the Premier League’s presence in the Champions League now depends on Liverpool, who had already qualified for the knockout stages. Liverpool, having drawn 2-2 with Aston Villa in the league, will be hoping to leave their mark in Europe’s premier competition.
In the meantime, City will hope to regroup and make their season not trophyless. Even though their Champions League aspiration has been dashed, the fight for domestic dominance is still wide open.
And as for Real Madrid, they keep their quest for another European crown alive, with Mbappe being the missing link in their already powerful team. His blistering speed, technical ability, and desire to win could drive Los Blancos to another Champions League title.
For the time being, City will have to re-adjust to another disappointing early departure from Europe’s top competition, as Madrid continue on their merry way, powered by the genius of their newest superstar.
