By Joseph Nelson
Kylian Mbappe stole the headlines against Real Madrid, while Manchester City hit five in Tuesday night’s Champions League round of 16 clashes.
Advantage PSG
Paris Saint Germain edged the first leg of their star-studded showdown with 13-time European champions Real Madrid, with Mbappe breaking the deadlock deep into injury time.
The Frenchman, who has long been linked with the Spanish heavyweights, weaved between Eder Militao and Lucas Vasquez before slotting between the legs of Thibaut Courtois to give the French club the win.
Whilst the game was a low-scoring affair, that isn’t to say that the rest of the fixture was dull, far from it; referee Daniele Orsato produced eight bookings in total across the 90 minutes.
After a tightly contested first half, the hosts won a penalty just after the hour mark and Lionel Messi, usually so reliable from the spot, saw his effort saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Mbappe, however, spared the Argentine’s blushes, latching on to Neymar’s back heel before driving forward and finishing confidently.
City run riot in Lisbon
Manchester City placed one foot firmly in the quarter-finals on Tuesday evening, hitting five goals past Sporting Lisbon in the Portuguese capital.
A Bernardo Silva brace and goals from Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, and Raheem Sterling gave Pep Guardiola’s side clear daylight going into the second leg next month.
City were 4-0 up at the break after Foden added to Mahrez’s opener, before Bernardo Silva helped himself to a double- the first of which being an unstoppable volley which cannoned in off the crossbar.
In the second half the Premier League champions’ game management came to the fore, with Sterling netting a fifth as the Citizens controlled possession and nullified the hosts’ attempts to get back into the fixture.
All the sides in action on Tuesday will be keeping a keen eye on Wednesday night’s fixtures, as Liverpool travel to Inter Milan and RB Salzburg host Bayern Munich.
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