Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti couldn’t hide his delight after Kylian Mbappe’s stunning hat-trick sealed a 3-1 (6-3 aggregate) victory over Manchester City.
The Spanish giants have now knocked out Pep Guardiola’s side in three of the last four seasons, and Mbappe’s brilliance at the Bernabeu stole the show in the Champions League clash.
Ancelotti didn’t hold back in praising his star striker, suggesting Mbappe could one day rival the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer with 451 goals in 438 appearances. “He has the quality to reach those numbers, but it’s about hard work,” Ancelotti said at the post-match press conference. “Cristiano set an incredibly high standard, but Kylian’s so fired up to be here—he can get there.”
The Italian tactician also highlighted the team’s collective strength. “Everyone was waiting for this hat-trick from Mbappe, and it’s finally arrived,” he added. “But he’s not alone. We have plenty of players who make a difference, and their teamwork outshines even their individual talent, it’s impressive.”
The tie was all but settled early on. Just four minutes in, Raul Asencio’s lofted pass caught City’s Ruben Dias off guard, and Mbappé pounced, coolly lifting the ball over Ederson.
The Frenchman struck again on 33 minutes, flicking on a Vinícius Junior pass, outfoxing Josko Gvardiol, and drilling it home. His third—a classy left-footed curler past Phil Foden after the break—completed a night to remember, marking his 21st career hat-trick.
Manchester City, missing the firepower of Erling Haaland, struggled throughout. A late consolation from Nico Gonzalez, after Omar Marmoush’s free-kick hit the bar, did little to lift their spirits as they slumped to a four-goal aggregate defeat. Real Madrid, meanwhile, barely broke a sweat, with Vinícius Junior testing Ederson late on as the hosts threatened to pile on more misery.
Despite the joy of progression, Ancelotti admitted frustration at the club’s route to the knockout rounds. A sluggish start to the group stage left them outside the top eight, forcing them into this extra play-off tie. “It’s not ideal having to go through this knockout round after 10 games just to reach the last 16,” he said. “We’ve got ourselves to blame for that.”
Looking ahead, the draw on Friday will pit Real Madrid against either Bayer Leverkusen or city foes Atletico Madrid as they chase a record-extending 16th Champions League crown. “We’re not coming out of a tough spell—we’re heading into one,” Ancelotti warned. “This is where the real season kicks off. There’s no rest now, but this win’s given us a big emotional boost. We’ve got to keep pushing.”
