Real Madrid secured a dominant victory over Manchester City at the Bernabeu, effectively ending City’s Champions League aspirations, as Kylian Mbappe netted a stunning hat-trick.

The Spanish club, aiming for their third European title in four years, had a lead from the first leg at the Etihad and benefitted from their star summer acquisition’s exceptional performance. Mbappe’s treble highlighted the win. City started with Erling Haaland, who had picked up an injury during the weekend’s Newcastle win, and his absence was noticeable as Real’s top scorer shone once again.

Pep Guardiola’s defensive setup struggled against Mbappe’s speed, and he capitalized on a long ball to break the deadlock. The Frenchman then linked up with Madrid’s front three to double the lead, evading Josko Gvardiol before scoring. Mbappe completed his hat-trick at the hour mark, cutting inside from the right, eluding Phil Foden, and finishing past Ederson to extend Madrid’s lead both for the night and overall.

City sought a late consolation and found it in stoppage time when Nico Gonzalez scored after a free-kick from Omar Marmoush hit the bar. This exit marked the first time in five years City had failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals, continuing their struggles against Real, who have eliminated them from European competition in three of the last four seasons.

Here’s the breakdown of a dominant night for the defending Champions League holders:

1. Mbappe’s Masterclass as Real Make a Statement

Not long ago, there were reports suggesting Mbappe had a sluggish start to his time in Madrid. But on Wednesday, he was unstoppable, wreaking havoc on the City defense with his speed. The French forward is clearly determined to secure his first Champions League title, and he is in the ideal environment to achieve that goal. His speed, movement, technical ability, and finishes were exceptional, and he showed confidence, even mocking his opponents during his celebrations.

2. Guardiola’s Remaining Hope

Pep Guardiola will be hoping to avoid his worst season since his first year in England (2016/17). While City did secure the Community Shield by defeating Manchester United, Guardiola will not take solace in that early-season victory. City’s Carabao Cup hopes were dashed early on, and their poor form over the past two months has left the Premier League out of reach. With the Champions League exit, their hopes for a memorable double were shattered, and all attention now shifts to their upcoming FA Cup tie against Plymouth Argyle.

3. The Worst Possible Start

Guardiola had given his team just a one percent chance of turning around the tie before the match started. If they had any hope, a fast start was essential, especially to prevent Madrid from further extending their advantage. However, one long ball and a well-taken goal from Mbappe made the task nearly impossible. City’s struggles to contain Mbappe’s pace and Madrid’s ability to counter-attack meant their hopes for a second Champions League win will have to wait until at least 2026.

4. Pep’s Haaland Blow

Due to injury sustained over the weekend, Haaland was relegated to the bench for Wednesday’s match, despite City’s urgent need for goals. Guardiola explained before the match that Haaland had not felt well enough to play, and therefore, a different player was selected. As a result, Omar Marmoush was tasked with playing in the center of the attack. Haaland’s absence was felt throughout the