Kylian Mbappé's Hat-Trick Sends PSG to Champions League Quarterfinals
Historic Night for French Star
Kylian Mbappé became only the third player to score a Champions League hat-trick against Barcelona on Wednesday, February 17, as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defeated the Spanish giants 4-1 in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.
Mbappé Leads PSG Charge
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a stunning strike from outside the box. He doubled PSG's lead in the 65th minute with a cool finish after being set up by Ángel Di María. The French forward completed his hat-trick in the 85th minute, rounding Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen to slot home.
Moise Kean added a fourth goal for PSG in stoppage time to cap off a memorable night for the Ligue 1 leaders.
Historic Achievement
Mbappé's hat-trick puts him in an elite group of players to have scored against Barcelona in the Champions League. Only Arsenal's Thierry Henry and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski have previously achieved the feat.
The 22-year-old now has 25 goals in the Champions League, making him the youngest player to reach that milestone.
Revenge for PSG
PSG's victory over Barcelona serves as a measure of revenge after the Spanish club knocked them out of the Champions League last season in the quarterfinals.
The French side will be confident of finishing the job in the second leg at the Parc des Princes on March 10.
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