Kylian Mbappé will be departing from Paris Saint-Germain, but he will not leave without completing one final objective. He scored two impressive goals early on in each half, showcasing his talents and dominance over the game, leading PSG to victory against Real Sociedad. This brings them one step closer to their ultimate goal of winning the Champions League trophy.
Luis Enrique, the coach tasked with transforming the team’s dynamics and preparing for a future without Mbappé, initially claimed that his team had faced difficulties in winning the first leg. However, in the second leg, he stated that everything had gone smoothly and any hopes of a home team comeback were quashed by a remarkable performance from the departing player.
Real coach Imanol Alguacil expressed his confidence in his team’s potential to win the competition, stating that if they continue to play in this manner, they are strong contenders for victory. Alguacil emphasized that it wasn’t just Kylian Mbappé who stood out, but also praised PSG’s “brutal” intensity, highlighting their superior strength and speed compared to his team.
Ultimately, however, it was the Real captain, Mikel Oyarzabal, who declared him as one of a kind, ultimately making the decision.
According to Luis Enrique, leaving him alone with the goalkeeper in the final third is extremely dangerous. He notched three goals, including the first one in Paris, leading PSG to a 2-1 victory and a 4-1 aggregate score. It seems that ease is truly synonymous with him.
After only 15 minutes, the obstacle was overcome, serving as another demonstration of Mbappé’s effortless ferocity and undeniable dominance. Launched by Dembélé, he swiftly moved up the left side and into the goal area. Even with Zubeldia standing before him with his arms behind his back, Mbappé easily eluded him with the use of his break, accelerator, and brake technique, causing him to lose balance. And just like that, the ball soared past Remiro and landed perfectly in the far corner, with enough force to dislodge the net.
At one point, the referee Michael Oliver briefly paused and the crowd at Reale Arena speculated whether there was a chance they could be pardoned; possibly it could be deemed invalid. Yet, why would this be the case? Perhaps because they were outperforming their opponents. With the decision by Luis Enrique to move Dembélé inside and onto the left wing, there was certainly no clear strategy to prevent him. Three people in training gear were brought in to mitigate the consequences and Mbappé continued playing as usual.
Prior to scoring, he effortlessly passed by the defenders and reached the end line where he passed to Bradley Barcola, who missed an easy goal from a short distance due to Remiro’s save. After scoring, he quickly ran to the opposite post and took a quick shot, which was miraculously blocked by Remiro’s foot.
PSG were in control and if Real Sociedad knew they had to step forward, they were all too aware of the risk that ran while Mbappé was loitering with intent on the left. The home side were unable to release a shot of any real threat until Take Kubo’s effort flew wide right on half‑time.
By the time of the fourth shot, PSG had a total of six attempts. Out of those, three were taken by Mbappé. The fourth was created by him, and the fifth can also be attributed to his involvement, albeit indirectly. La Real made the wise decision to ease off Warren Zaïre-Emery, as they knew it was better than risking Mbappé getting the ball and increasing his impressive stats. Ultimately, Mbappé secured the win with one final goal, solidifying his role as the star player.
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Placing him in the goal, similar to Lee Kang-in at the 56 minute mark, does not provoke any sense of anxiousness. Instead, there is a feeling of complete composure. As he quickly moves towards the goal, it is difficult not to sense a familiar sight and predict the inevitable outcome of the ball going into the net. Mbappé positioned his body, preparing to curve it towards the far post and with a slight glance and flick of his ankle, he skillfully slid it past Remiro and into the near post.
Real rebelled after their initial performance, with their second-half showing reflecting their return to the Champions League ten years later and their impressive group stage win. Despite their recent struggles, manager Luis Enrique claimed that PSG had been fortunate not to face them back in September. However, Real remained resolute in their goal to fulfill their manager’s commitment to making their fans proud, regardless of the outcome. They aimed to give their supporters one final moment of excitement before exiting the tournament.
Ander Barrenetxea scored a goal but it was disallowed by the linesman. The team continued to make slick moves, with Martin Zubimendi almost scoring on one side and Beñat Turrientes being stopped by Gianluigi Donnarumma on the other. Jon Olasagasti also came close, hitting the roof of the net with a shot, before Mikel Merino finally secured a goal in the 89th minute. Even though they were defeated by a stronger team and player, the supporters sang until the end.
Source: theguardian.com
