Real Madrid’s French forward Kylian Mbappe delivered a sensational performance on Wednesday, scoring all four goals as the Spanish giants edged Olympiacos 4-3 in a thrilling Champions League encounter at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Greece.
The victory ended a three-match winless run for Madrid across all competitions.
Olympiacos started strongly, with Chiquinho firing from 20 yards to put the hosts ahead. However, Mbappe quickly turned the tide, racing onto a precise pass from Vinicius Junior to level the score.
Just two minutes later, he headed low from an Arda Guler cross to give Madrid the lead. Completing a hat-trick in just six minutes and 42 seconds, Mbappe cemented the second fastest Champions League hat-trick in history, trailing only Mohamed Salah’s record against Rangers in 2022.
Despite substitute Mehdi Taremi restoring parity for Olympiacos with a header in the 52nd minute, Madrid held firm.
Mbappe scored his fourth after a brilliant run and assist from Vinicius, sealing the win and marking Madrid’s first-ever victory on Greek soil after seven previous attempts.
Ayoub El Kaabi’s late strike for Olympiacos could not prevent Madrid from claiming all three points.
With this performance, Mbappe now leads the Champions League scoring charts with nine goals in five matches, three clear of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.
The match also showcased the depth of Madrid’s squad, with stand-in goalkeeper Andriy Lunin stepping in for the absent Thibaut Courtois and contributing to crucial saves.
Real Madrid’s win not only breaks their Greek curse but also strengthens their position in Group stage standings, proving the team can rely on both individual brilliance and collective effort to overcome challenging fixtures.
AFP
