'Too much!' - Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe raves about PSG star after Barcelona beaten in Champions League clash

La Liga giants Barca headed into said contest full of confidence after hitting the summit of their domestic division. They had teenage wonderkid Lamine Yamal at their disposal, with the 18-year-old lining up on the opposite side of the field to Hakimi. Marcus Rashford was initially charged with the task of trying to get the better of PSG’s Morocco international right-back.

The Manchester United loanee did that when teeing up Ferran Torres for the opening goal of the game, but PSG fought back from there to claim a dramatic winner in the 90th minute through Portuguese striker Goncalo Ramos. Hakimi starred when keeping Yamal and Co at bay, allowing Luis Enrique’s side to play their way into the game and ultimately emerge victorious.

Former PSG forward Mbappe was among those watching on from afar. He had enjoyed a productive Champions League outing of his own 24 hours earlier, with a hat-trick being recorded for Real Madrid in their 5-0 demolition of Kazakh side Kairat. He made a point of tuning in for PSG’s highly-anticipated clash with Barca.

He was given plenty to get excited about, as Clasico rivals came unstuck on home soil. PSG’s all-time leading scorer was particularly pleased to see Hakimi thrive on the grandest of stages - with the 26-year-old showing once again that he is one of the best in the business when it comes to the art of defending and providing a threat heading in the opposite direction.

Hakimi posted several images on social media that were packaged as “Champions League night”. He ended that reel with a shot of Jamie Foxx portraying former boxing world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a biopic miniseries. Mbappe responded to those pictures by saying: “You there, that’s too much, huh.”

Hakimi recently finished sixth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or vote, with club colleague Ousmane Dembele walking off with the Golden Ball. He said of that recognition: “I don't think it's a disappointment for me. It's nice to be in the list of the 30 best players in the world. Sixth is something I've never thought about in my life. I think about team trophies first, not individual trophies. I want to perform well with my team and give everyone pleasure. Then you're the ones who talk about individual trophies. I'm proud of this sixth place and I want to keep working to, why not, move up a little in the rankings.”

Hakimi also told Canal+ of his relationship with Mbappe - who left Parc des Princes in 2024: “As soon as I arrived in Paris, he helped me. I didn't speak French and he spoke a little Spanish. The friendship was formed from the start. He supported me in times when I needed it. I also supported him when he needed it. It's a natural friendship. We're friends beyond football. We don't have any problems between us. If there's something, we talk about it. It's a real friendship and we will continue to be friends.”

Mbappe and Hakimi were denied an on-field reunion last season when Real suffered a Champions League quarter-final defeat to Arsenal. PSG went on to see off the Gunners, paving the way for them to demolish Inter in the final and land a historic continental crown. The pair did, however, cross paths at the FIFA Club World Cup.

It could be that they meet again in 2025-26, with two European heavyweights setting their sights on ultimate glory once again. PSG and the Blancos have made faultless starts to the league phase, picking up six points from two games so far. Hakimi and Mbappe could also meet at next summer’s World Cup, with Morocco already booking their tickets to that event while France sit top of their group in the UEFA section of qualification.