Already-qualified Paris Saint-Germain finished the Champions League group stage in style as Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messiscored two goals each in a 4-1 home win over Club Brugge on Tuesday.
Mbappé put the Ligue 1 side 2-0 up in the first seven minutes and Messi added a third before the break plus a fourth with a penalty after the interval.
PSG were guaranteed second place in Group A before kick-off while Manchester City, who lost 2-1 at RB Leipzig, had already secured top spot and finished with 12 points, one ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Brugge were eliminated from European competition after finishing bottom with four points, three behind Leipzig.
Simon Mignolet clumsily punched Nuno Mendes’s cross into the path of Mbappé who fired home after two minutes and the striker was at it again five minutes later when he volleyed past the Belgian from Ángel Di María’s pass. Mbappé is the youngest player to reach 30 goals in the Champions League, less than two weeks before his 23rd birthday.
Messi added the third seven minutes before half-time with a trademark curled attempt from outside the area and although Mats Rits pulled one back, PSG were always in control. Messi wrapped up a comfortable victory with a 76th-minute spot-kick after he was brought down by the substitute Ignace Van Der Brempt.
Real Madrid host Internazionale and Porto take on Atlético Madrid in the crucial late games in the battle for places in the knockout phase. (The Guardian)
