With a brace in Tuesday’s 2-1 victory against Real Sociedad, Kylian Mbappe sent Paris Saint-Germain into the Champions League quarterfinals, leading his club to a 4-1 aggregate victory.
Coach Luis Enrique decreased Mbappe’s minutes in recent weeks after the player informed the club that he would depart at the end of the season, but the France captain has proven that he will be critical if PSG are to win the competition for the first time.
Real Sociedad could not contain the speedy Mbappe, who scored after 15 and 56 minutes, leaving the Ligue 1 leaders with an easy night in northern Spain.
Mbappe, who also scored in the first leg, shot over in the opening stages before blazing past Hamari Traore to set up Bradley Barcola, but Alex Remiro denied him from close range. It wasn’t that Real Sociedad ignored the warning, they simply couldn’t stop the 25-year-old.
Mbappe created the opening goal out of nothing after a pass into the box went wide of the goal. Eleven minutes into the second half, Mbappe doubled PSG’s lead after breaking through the defence from the halfway line.
PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced an outstanding stop to deny Benat Turrientes, as the hosts searched for a consolation goal that arrived at the end. Donnarumma palmed a cross into the middle of the box, and Mikel Merino was in the right spot at the right moment to score.