Football Daily | Kylian Mbappé, Darwin Núñez and Manchester City’s week from hell
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!
Three minutes, 35 seconds. That was all it took for Manchester City’s fragile hopes of a Bigger Cup comeback at the Bernabéu to be extinguished as Pep Guardiola’s side were exposed to their kryptonite – a very fast forward running on to a long ball. Kylian Mbappé jogged away from Rúben Dias and John Stones, and lifted the ball over Ederson with a single, devastating touch. Stones hobbled off injured moments later, and he may as well have taken the rest of his team with him. Mbappé wasn’t finished; the Real Madrid forward added another two beautifully taken goals in a merciless individual display. He has now scored seven Big Cup goals against City – the same as Lionel Messi – and for three different clubs to boot. In a competition that has, in the last decade, become essentially Real Madrid v Everyone Else (with Madrid leading 5-4 since 2015-16) the other 15 sides still in the perspex bowl for Friday’s last-16 draw must contemplate how to beat the defending champions, who have found a way to get the best out of their new superstar striker.
This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
