Kylian Mbappé delivered a masterclass performance, netting a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a 3-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League knockout stage.

This triumph at the Santiago Bernabéu secured a 6-3 aggregate win, propelling Los Blancos into the last 16.

Mbappé’s first goal came just four minutes into the match, showcasing his composure with a delicate lob over City’s goalkeeper, Ederson.

He added a second in the 33rd minute, and completed his hat-trick in the second half, bringing his career totals to 359 goals and 142 assists.

At 26 years and 61 days old, Mbappé has become the youngest player to reach 500 goal contributions, surpassing the records previously held by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Throughout the match, Mbappé drew inspiration from his idols, emulating Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature celebration after his first goal and later replicating Lionel Messi’s iconic gesture following his hat-trick.

Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, praised Mbappé’s outstanding display, while club legend Zinedine Zidane was seen applauding from the stands.

Despite a late consolation goal from City’s Nico González, the Premier League side couldn’t overcome the deficit, marking another challenging European night for manager Pep Guardiola.

Former Real Madrid star Mesut Özil has boldly declared Vinícius Júnior as the best player in the world right now.

His statement comes just days after legendary Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger placed the Brazilian third on his list of top players. Özil, who played under Wenger at Arsenal before his move to Madrid in 2010, shared his opinion when asked who he believes is currently the best.

Vinícius had high hopes of winning the Ballon d’Or last year, but late reports suggested Manchester City’s Rodri was favored instead. He eventually finished 2024 as the second-best player in the world, according to France Football.

This season, the Brazilian winger has been in incredible form, with many predicting he could finally secure football’s most prestigious individual award.

“The best player at this moment? Vinícius Júnior,” Özil said in a comment shared by Madrid Xtra and reported by Sportskeeda.

Ademola Lookman is on his way out of Atalanta this summer, as confirmed by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Romano revealed that the move had been in the works since last year, stating on X that Atalanta still intends to part ways with the Super Eagles winger.

The club is expected to address the situation with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini soon, but their decision remains unchanged.

Lookman’s future has been a hot topic following Atalanta’s Champions League exit at the hands of Club Brugge.

The Italian side suffered a 3-1 defeat on Tuesday night, losing 5-2 on aggregate. The Nigerian forward found the back of the net for Atalanta but also missed a crucial penalty.

After the match, Gasperini openly criticized Lookman for taking the spot-kick, adding fuel to the speculation surrounding his departure.

Despite this, Lookman has been in fine form this season, racking up 15 goals and six assists in 28 appearances.