PSG Enters Champions League 2024 Quarters: Kylian Mbappe’s Dominant Performance
Kylian Mbappe propelled Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) into the Champions League quarter-finals with a remarkable 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Tuesday, securing a convincing 4-1 aggregate win.
Real Sociedad was unable to contain Mbappe, and his goals at the 15 and 56-minute marks gave the Ligue 1 leaders a straightforward evening in the north of Spain.
With a brace in Tuesday’s 2-1 victory against Real Sociedad, Kylian Mbappe mercilessly propelled Paris Saint-Germain into the Champions League quarterfinals, leading his team to a 4-1 aggregate victory. After Mbappe informed the team he would depart at the end of the season, coach Luis Enrique cut down on the player’s playing time. However, the captain of France has shown he is essential to PSG‘s chances of winning the championship for the first time.
Real Sociedad was unable to contain the electric Mbappe, and his goals at the 15 and 56-minute marks gave the Ligue 1 leaders a straightforward evening in the north of Spain.
Mbappe told Canal Plus, “We are very happy, it was the objective.”
“Today, we wanted to win and give ourselves a little bit of an easier game in addition to qualifying. That’s what we carried out. Our strategy was very apparent. We succeeded in scoring quickly and, more importantly, we avoided running into any serious problems.”
The resolute Mbappe, who is strongly connected to Real Madrid, gave the La Liga defenses a preview of the horrors they might face in the upcoming campaign.
After shooting wide early on and speeding past Hamari Traore to set up Bradley Barcola, the forward—who also scored in the first leg—was stopped by Alex Remiro at close range. Real Sociedad was unable to halt the 25-year-old, rather than not paying attention to the warning.
Mbappe created the opening goal out of nothing after a pass into the box went wide of the goal.
With a few deft moves, he forced Igor Zubeldia to flinch and created enough room for a shot, which he curled from a tight angle and smashed into the far corner.
Players had to wait until the netting was restored before play could restart after Mbappe’s vicious blow tore a portion of it away from the post.
Since the contest was essentially finished, they might not have given it much thought.
Twofold Difficulties
Eleven minutes into the second half, Mbappe extended PSG’s lead by breaking through the defense from the halfway line.
With his sixth goal in eight Champions League games this season, the striker first fashioned another shot to the far post before deceiving Remiro by sweeping home at the near post.
Real Sociedad started to exert maximum pressure on PSG, but their efforts came too little, too late.
Shortly after entering the game, substitute Ander Barrenetxea’s goal was disallowed due to a narrow offside.
Benat Turrientes was denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma with an incredible save, and the home team eventually found a consolation goal late in the game. When Donnarumma palmed away a cross into the center of the box, Mikel Merino was there to shoot home at the perfect moment.
“We competed, but against a team of this level and with a player … Mbappe, who each time he gets it in transition it’s almost a goal…” Movistar heard Merino say.
“I hope this club gets to have nights like these again.”
La Real is fighting to make it to the Europa League for the following season, with only one win in ten games across all competitions.
A booking for defender Achraf Hakimi, who will miss the first leg of the quarterfinal, was one of PSG’s few unfavorable notes.
Even though Mbappe’s time in Paris is almost out, this was a night to celebrate his talent. PSG, in the final eight for the first time since 2021, will worry about that later.
“(Mbappe) is the best player in the world in the final third when running in on goal, unstoppable, invincible,” Luis Enrique stated to Movistar.
“He was excellent, but like all of his teammates, we need everyone because we are a team.”
