Kylian Mbappe scored each of Real Madrid’s goals as they prevailed in a remarkable Champions League clash with Olympiacos.
Kylian Mbappe scored all four goals for Real Madrid as they survived a Champions League thriller with Olympiacos, claiming a 4-3 victory in Piraeus.
Chiquinho had given Olympiacos an eighth-minute lead in stunning fashion, only for Mbappe to give Madrid command with a seven-minute hat-trick.
The Greek champions displayed hugely impressive fighting spirit in the second half, however, Mehdi Taremi pulling one back for the hosts before Mbappe continued his unbelievable night to restore Madrid’s two-goal cushion.
That was eradicated again by Ayoub El Kaabi nine minutes from the end of normal time to set up a grandstand finish, but Madrid held on to go fifth in the league phase standings on 12 points. Olympiacos, with two points from five games, face an uphill battle to progress to the knockouts.
Held to a 2-2 draw by Elche at the weekend, Madrid’s XI for the clash in Piraeus featured a host of changes, with Jude Bellingham among those to drop to the bench.
Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all included in the side, the latter the subject of increasing criticism in the wake of the draw with Elche.
Yet they fell behind in the eighth minute to a wondrous strike from Chiquinho.
The Portuguese midfielder surged towards the edge of the box and, following neat link-up play with Daniel Podence and Ayoub El Kaabi, lashed a vicious right-footed strike beyond Andriy Lunin and into the bottom-right corner.
That goal raised concerns Madrid would yet again falter at Olympiacos, a team they were looking to claim a first away win over at the fifth time of asking.
But Mbappe had other ideas.
Mbappe magic gives Real Madrid command
The unbelievable quality Madrid have in attack came to the fore in the 22nd minute as Vinicius found an onrushing Mbappe with a stunning long pass from the left sideline, enabling the France star to fire under Konstantinos Tzolakis.
Mbappe then made it 2-1 by powering a header home from Arda Guler’s pinpoint cross, and his treble was completed as he deftly controlled Eduardo Camavinga’s lofted pass before rolling the ball into the bottom-right corner.
Vinicius looked to have made it 4-1, only for his effort to be chalked off by VAR, with Mbappe ruled to have strayed offside before teeing up the Brazilian.
Aurelien Tchouameni then hit the bar for Madrid as they ended a first half that started dreadfully in complete command.
Olympiacos set up thrilling finish
Olympiacos needed just seven minutes of second-half action to halve the deficit, Taremi doing so with a bullet header from Santiago Hezze’s right-wing cross.
Yet Mbappe had the answers once again, though his fourth owed great credit to Vinicius, who worked his way down the left side and to the byline before pulling back for Madrid’s talisman to prod home a fourth.
But Madrid did not manage to kill the game and another outstanding Olympiacos header, this time from El Kaabi as he turned home Gabriel Strefezza’s left-wing delivery.
Olympiacos pressed in search of the elusive leveller, El Kaabi going close with a volley, but ultimately they could not find the goal to deny Madrid a victory Mbappe’s outstanding individual performance undoubtedly deserved.
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