UCL roundup: Mbappe’s hattrick sinks Barca, Salah and Mane step up for Liverpool

The UEFA Champions League knockout stages began with two big games; a young German tactician Julian Nagelsmann faced a senior German tactician in Jürgen Klopp. Mauricio Pochettino took his PSG team without Neymar to the Camp Nou.

Kylian Mbappe scored a hattrick on a night to forget for Barcelona in a 4-1 demolition at the Camp Nou to set a big mountain to climb for the Blaugrana in Paris if they are to retain any hope of qualification.

Messi put the hosts ahead from the spot and Mbappe responded five minutes later. Mbappe got his second and third of the night on either side of a Moise Kean goal in the second half becoming their third player to score a Champions League hattrick against Barcelona.

Klopp outsmarted his young compatriot in Budapest with two goals in five second half five minutes from African duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to return Liverpool to winning ways.

RB Leipzig played home in Budapest due to the coronavirus travel restriction in the UK and it was Klopp’s Liverpool who got the better of a man who looks up to him in Julian Nagelsmann.

The second leg of the two games is scheduled for March 10. Neymar is likely to be available for PSG and the Leipzig Liverpool game may be played at a neutral venue again.