Mbappe Stars as PSG Cruise into Champions League Quarter-Finals
Paris Saint-Germain booked their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals with a comfortable 2-1 victory away to Real Sociedad. Kylian Mbappe stole the show with a brace, leading PSG to a convincing 4-1 aggregate win.
PSG, determined to finally claim their first Champions League title, displayed strong tactical discipline and capitalized on counter-attacks. Mbappe’s blistering pace kept the Sociedad defense on edge throughout the match.
The French giants had already impressed in the group stage, going unbeaten and topping their group ahead of last year’s finalists, Inter Milan. Real Sociedad, on the other hand, were struggling with injuries and inconsistent form, having won only one of their last ten matches.
Mbappe’s talent shone brightly. His blistering speed and agility proved too much for Sociedad’s defense to handle. He was particularly dominant on the left flank, extending his incredible Champions League knockout stage record to 11 goals in the last 15 games.
“We knew we couldn’t afford to relax,” Mbappe said after the match. “An early goal from them with their home crowd behind them could have been dangerous. We had to silence them early, and we did that. We’re delighted to be back in the quarter-finals.”
The PSG star created several chances before opening the scoring with a magnificent curling effort in the 15th minute. He received a long pass from Ousmane Dembele, weaved his way into the box, and unleashed a powerful shot that nestled into the far corner.
The goal stunned the home crowd at the sold-out Reale Arena. Mbappe nearly added another with a similar shot later on, but this time, Sociedad’s goalkeeper Alex Remiro made a good save.
Mbappe wasn’t done yet. In the 56th minute, he latched onto a Lee Kang-in through ball, raced into the box, and slotted the ball past the keeper at the near post.
PSG then opted for a more defensive approach, successfully stifling Sociedad’s attack for most of the remaining time. The home side did manage to threaten late in the game, with a shot from Martin Zubimendi hitting the post and another attempt by Benat Turrientes forcing a reflex save from PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Mikel Merino finally grabbed a consolation goal for Sociedad in the 89th minute with a deflected strike, but it was a mere formality as PSG secured their first Champions League quarter-final appearance in three years.
