Real Madrid thrashed Manchester City 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hat-trick to seal victory. The French forward’s performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he led his side to an impressive win.
The likes of Raul Asencio and Rodrygo worked tirelessly on the flanks, providing width and depth to the team’s attack. Meanwhile, Toni Kroos was not present, but Jude Bellingham and Dani Ceballos continued to control the midfield, allowing Mbappe to roam freely behind them.
Thibaut Courtois made three saves throughout the match, while Ferland Mendy did his job in shutting down City’s right flank. Antonio Rudiger provided a boost with his leadership and physical presence, and Casemiro marshaled the team well from central midfield.
Despite struggling with injuries earlier in the season, Fede Valverde continued to shine at right back, and Tchouameni had an excellent game, winning crucial tackles and distributing the ball effectively. Jude Bellingham’s work rate off the ball was exemplary, while Rodrygo put in a tireless performance on both attack and defense.
However, Real Madrid did make some mistakes. Eduardo Camavinga’s rash tackling led to City’s late equalizer being given away, and Luka Modric’s late substitution may have left the team vulnerable for a moment.
Overall, it was a dominant display from Real Madrid, with Mbappe’s hat-trick cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Source: https://www.managingmadrid.com/2025/2/20/24368520/player-ratings-real-madrid-3-1-manchester-city-uefa-champions-league-playoff-2025