Real Madrid beat Man City 3-0, PSG hammer Chelsea 5-2 in Champions League

Federico Valverde’s first hat-trick of his career powered Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, while Paris St Germain produced a late surge to defeat Chelsea 5-2 at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. Both teams now head into next week’s second legs with a strong advantage.

Pep Guardiola’s City side began brightly at the Santiago Bernabeu but were caught out by Madrid’s pace on the break.

Thibaut Courtois released Valverde down the right, and the Uruguayan rounded Gianluigi Donnarumma to open the scoring in the 20th minute. Seven minutes later Vinicius Jr fed Valverde, who beat the offside trap and drilled home.

Madrid struck again in the 42nd minute after another rapid counterattack. Brahim Diaz clipped a pass into Valverde’s path and the Uruguayan completed his treble with a fine volley after flicking the ball over a helpless Marc Guehi.

City pressed after halftime but it was the hosts who nearly dealt another blow when Donnarumma denied Vinicius from the penalty spot after the goalkeeper brought down the Brazilian inside the box.

“Incredible, one dreams of nights like this,” Valverde told Movistar Plus.

“I really enjoyed myself today; it had been quite some time since I had enjoyed a match this much. I am pleased, I am happy, but above all, I am delighted with the team’s victory.”

Guardiola arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu intent on exploiting Real’s defensive frailties, particularly out wide, and set up with pace in attack through Antoine Semenyo, Savinho and Jeremy Doku.

For a spell, the plan worked. Doku tormented Trent Alexander-Arnold in the early exchanges, repeatedly catching the defender out of position and helping City pin Real back. The visitors prowled around Courtois’ area and looked increasingly confident as they pushed for an opener.

Yet with their attacking ambition came risk, and Real needed little invitation to counter. Moments after Bernardo Silva fired narrowly wide, Real opened the scoring. Courtois spotted Valverde racing unmarked down the right flank and delivered a precise long ball from the edge of his own six-yard box, allowing the Uruguayan to sprint clear and find the net.

City were stunned and Real sensed their vulnerability. Valverde doubled the lead when Vinicius surged in from the left and slipped a through ball that deflected off a defender into the Uruguayan’s path. The midfielder drove into the area and fired a low, angled strike into the far corner.

Guardiola’s side, lacking control in midfield, found themselves repeatedly exposed by Real’s direct running and long passes. Vinicius was the spearhead, with Brahim and Valverde charging from deep against a City defence that struggled to track runners.

The third goal also came from Real’s speed in attack. Vinicius embarked on a solo run from the left before switching play to Brahim on the right.

Surrounded by three defenders, the Moroccan chipped a delicate pass over the back line and Valverde arrived late, lobbed the onrushing Guehi and followed up with a crisp volley to complete his hat-trick and send the Bernabeu into raptures.

City emerged after halftime with renewed intent. Courtois produced a sharp save to deny Semenyo from close range, while Nico O’Reilly was later kept out by the Belgian keeper who was in inspired form.

Real, however, remained dangerous on the break. Vinicius was brought down by Donnarumma inside the box when through on goal, earning a penalty, but the Brazilian saw his low effort saved by the Italian goalkeeper.

It was a rare let-off for City on a night when their adventurous approach was ruthlessly punished, with Real travelling to England for the second leg next Tuesday with a commanding advantage.

Kvaratskhelia late show as PSG crush Chelsea 5-2
Holders Paris St Germain carved out a clear advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie against Chelsea as substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia inspired them to an exhilarating 5-2 first-leg victory at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

Luis Enrique’s side twice went ahead through Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele but were pegged back each time by Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez before Vitinha and Kvaratskhelia, with a double, scored three late goals to put the hosts firmly in control.

Although the French champions showed defensive frailties eight months after being dismantled by Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, they produced flashes of the incisive, high-octane football that carried them to their first European Cup triumph last season.

The second leg will be played at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

“I’m happy that I can help, happy that we won against Chelsea because they are a good team,” Kvaratskhelia said.

“We are still PSG. We showed everybody that we are capable of everything.”

Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior lamented conceding the fifth goal.

“I was really happy with our performance but the last 15–20 minutes were crazy. The scoreline is painful because we were in the tie for 75 minutes. At the Champions League level it’s fine margins, the fifth goal is the most painful,” he said.

Luis Enrique praised his team’s resilience.

“Despite conceding twice after taking the lead, we continued to go for the win against a team who were very strong physically and technically and we’ll get more of the same in London,” he said.

“We are a resilient team. Resilience is a word that defines us, and our supporters.”

PSG began in dominant fashion, pressing high and monopolising possession in a display reminiscent of their best form last season.

The breakthrough came in the 10th minute when Joao Neves headed a cross into the path of Barcola, who controlled the ball with his chest before unleashing a powerful half-volley under the crossbar for his first Champions League goal of the season.

PSG continued to threaten and five minutes later Dembele’s fierce effort was deflected onto the right-hand post by goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

Chelsea gradually found their footing as PSG’s back line began to lose shape. Exploiting space on the right flank, Fernandez delivered a long cross to Gusto, and the French defender drove his shot past Matvei Safonov to level in the 28th minute.

PSG restored their lead five minutes before the break when Dembele surged forward and raced into the box with defenders scrambling.

Still with plenty to do, he twisted Marc Cucurella one way and Wesley Fofana the other before drilling a composed finish into the far corner.

The home side remained fragile at the back and were punished when Pedro Neto dispossessed Desire Doue and set up Fernandez for an easy finish 12 minutes into the second half.

Doue was replaced by Kvaratskhelia and the momentum swung decisively as the Georgian showed his class.

In the 74th minute, Jorgensen’s poor pass was intercepted by Barcola, who fed Kvaratskhelia, and the forward set up Vitinha for an exquisite lob to restore the advantage.

Kvaratskhelia then cut past Gusto and sent a powerful curling strike into the net in the 86th minute before adding another with a simple tap-in from Achraf Hakimi’s pass four minutes into stoppage time.