Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe reveals who he wants to face in Champions League last-16 after hat-trick dumps Man City out

Los Blancos produced a masterclass in front of their home supporters, dismantling the reigning Premier League champions and marching on to the knockout stage. Mbappe stole the show with his three goals which fired Madrid to secure a 3-1 victory in the second leg, sealing a dominant 6-3 aggregate win over Pep Guardiola’s team. Now, they await the draw to determine whether they will face Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the Round of 16.

Atletico has been one of the standout teams in La Liga this season. They are currently in third place, just a point behind joint leaders Real Madrid and Barcelona. They have also enjoyed a strong European campaign, securing automatic qualification for the knockout stages. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen has also been highly impressive. They secured a top-eight finish in the newly formatted Champions League group stage while keeping their Bundesliga title ambitions alive. They trail German powerhouse Bayern Munich by eight points, with several matchdays yet to be played.

Speaking after the match, Mbappe expressed his preference, stating, "Honestly, I would rather we are drawn against Atleti. They and Bayer are two great clubs and it would be difficult either way. But in the next round, it would be much better for us if we don't have to travel – we travel so much!"

Madrid’s dominant performance against City reinforces their status as one of the tournament favourites as they look to extend their record tally of 15 top-tier European titles. With their Round of 16 spot secured, Carlo Ancelotti’s men will now shift their attention back to La Liga, where they will host Girona at the Bernabeu on Sunday.