Mbappé puts Guardiola's City out of the competition with his first hat trick in white
The 1% chance of reaching the knockout stages of Guardiola's Champions League evaporated after just 3 minutes of play. Asencio, the new Kaiser of the white defence, caressed the ball with the instep of his foot and sent it 30 metres forward to Mbappé. The embarrassing and habitual errors of the English defence ended in a lob in front of Ederson and the face of disbelief of Guardiola and Juanma Lillo.
There was no heroics. No comeback. Just one team on the pitch that finished off Manchester City and any hope of a recovery this season. The Citizens are in a bad way. Their change of cycle has been managed worse and not everything can be blamed on Rodri's injury. What's more, if Guardiola leaves the team in the summer, no one would be surprised.
Ancelotti was relieved. Not because of the result. Or the game. Five months later he has found his perfect ‘squad’, although it won't always be the same one until June. Asencio is already untouchable as Ramos was, because their plasticity is identical. Rüdiger will be a regular and Alaba will be used to give rest. At full-back, Mendy for the key fixtures and Fran García for the rest. On the other flank, Lucas Vázquez is Carletto's favourite, although he knows that he ‘suffers’ against strong opponents. That gives options to Valverde, the boy for everything who is close to injury if he continues to play every minute without a break.
Tchouaméni was applauded off the Bernabéu. A week ago he was booed and Ancelotti is the main culprit for that. Determined to play him at centre back and leave Asencio on the bench, he caused serious errors and complicated matches. In the centre of the field he is a different player and if you put him together with Ceballos, we can be ahead of the new Kroos-Modric duo.
Up front there is no doubt about the potential. All that was left was to find the best version of Mbappé and pray that Vinicius would turn his attention to football and leave the controversies behind. Rodrygo is the best player in the Champions League and his football is worth gold when he steps up to the penalty spot. The Frenchman's second goal was a work of art in the six-yard box where Gvardiol ended up on the ground, while for the third, Foden came to defend without knowing how to do it.
Five paragraphs later Manchester City appear in this chronicle. Guardiola has lost control of the football of that team in which not even Haaland could start in Madrid. More than 200 million euros spent in the winter market should have been used for something more than scoring a late goal and winning possession.
Who knows if the historic sanction that may befall him from the English FA is already known in the offices. This possibly prompted the departure of Txiki Begiristain, sporting director since 2012. Nothing is known, but it could be the news of the century in world football and a boost for the Superliga.
Ancelotti has his warriors at the best moment of the season. Endrick and Güler are definitely out of the squad and that could be a problem in the summer if their agents decide to change their clients' scenery. For the moment, the challenges are the League, the Champions League and the Cup.
Mbappé is back and has said he wants Atlético in the last sixteen for the sole reason of travelling ‘20 minutes’ instead of two days. Ten games later to be in the same place as in 2024 after six games. The Champions League business is unforgiving. Neither is Real Madrid.