Kylian Mbappe capped a fine display with two goals as Paris St-Germain comfortably moved into the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Real Sociedad.
With the trip to San Sebastian billed as a potentially tricky second leg for PSG to negotiate, all eyes were on Mbappe, who has agreed to join Real Madrid this summer.
And the France forward turned in a superb performance to register his 27th and 28th goals of the campaign for Luis Enrique’s side.
The 25-year-old served an early warning to the hosts by accelerating past Hamari Traore to tee up a chance for Bradley Barcola, which was well saved by home goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
And six minutes later Mbappe opened his account for the evening, latching on to Ousmane Dembele’s pass and teasing home defender Igor Zubeldia, before whipping a right-foot effort into the bottom-right corner with such power and precision that it temporarily dislodged the netting.
Mbappe’s second of the night arrived shortly after the break as he raced clear down the left to collect Lee Kang-in’s pass and then emphatically dispatched a disguised low shot past Remiro at his near post.
It was no more than the Parisiens deserved with Imanol Alguacil’s Sociedad team far too passive in the opening stages and only sparking into life after they had fallen four goals behind on aggregate.
By then it was far too late with Mikel Merino’s driven effort in the closing minutes proving merely a consolation.
The draw for the last eight of the competition takes on Friday, 15 March (11:00 GMT).
Departing Mbappe sparkles for PSG
One week after their Copa del Rey semi-final exit to Mallorca on penalties there was more disappointment for Real Sociedad – though this time it came from a predictable source.
Since announcing his intention to leave Parc des Princes, Luis Enrique’s handling of Mbappe has been questioned with PSG’s star man relegated to the substitutes’ bench and withdrawn early from matches.
However, if the manager’s decisions have been made with one eye on the future, Mbappe’s performance here only served to deliver a painful reminder of the huge void he will need to fill in the summer.
The hosts knew all about the danger the forward posed, but stopping him is an entirely different matter.
Zubeldia and Traore were in close proximity when he opened the scoring but neither was able to intervene.
And with PSG dominating in midfield for the first hour of the encounter, Mbappe, described as “probably the most dangerous man on the planet at the minute” by former England striker Michael Owen on TNT Sports, was given a seemingly endless supply line to inflict damage as his side reached the last eight for the first time since 2021.
Line-ups
Real Sociedad
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Remiro
- 18Traoré
- 5ZubeldiaBooked at 54minsSubstituted forPachecoat 76′minutes
- 24Le Normand
- 25Galán
- 23MéndezSubstituted forTurrientesat 61′minutes
- 4ZubimendiSubstituted forOlasagastiat 83′minutes
- 8Merino
- 14KuboBooked at 42mins
- 10OyarzabalSubstituted forAndré Silvaat 77′minutes
- 11BeckerSubstituted forBarrenetxeaat 61′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Barrenetxea
- 13Marrero
- 15González
- 16Olasagasti
- 17Tierney
- 19Sadiq
- 20Pacheco
- 21André Silva
- 22Turrientes
- 28Magunazelaia
- 29Marín
- 42Aramburu
PSG
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 99G Donnarumma
- 2HakimiBooked at 42minsSubstituted forSolerat 83′minutes
- 21Hernández
- 35Lopes Beraldo
- 25Nuno MendesBooked at 28minsSubstituted forMukieleat 62′minutes
- 33Zaïre-Emery
- 17Vitinha
- 8RuizSubstituted forUgarteat 77′minutes
- 10DembéléBooked at 45minsSubstituted forKolo Muaniat 82′minutes
- 29BarcolaSubstituted forLee Kang-inat 45′minutes
- 7Mbappé
Substitutes
- 1Navas
- 4Ugarte
- 5Marquinhos
- 9Gonçalo Ramos
- 15Danilo
- 19Lee Kang-in
- 23Kolo Muani
- 26Mukiele
- 28Soler
- 41Mayulu
- 43Gadou
- 80Tenas
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 39,336
Live Text
-
Match ends, Real Sociedad 1, Paris Saint Germain 2.
-
Second Half ends, Real Sociedad 1, Paris Saint Germain 2.
-
Manuel Ugarte (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by André Silva (Real Sociedad).
-
Corner, Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Jon Pacheco.
-
Attempt saved. Vitinha (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kylian Mbappé.
-
Goal! Real Sociedad 1, Paris Saint Germain 2. Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner following a corner.
-
Attempt missed. Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
-
Attempt saved. Beñat Turrientes (Real Sociedad) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Takefusa Kubo.
-
Corner, Real Sociedad. Conceded by Nordi Mukiele.
-
Attempt blocked. Jon Olasagasti (Real Sociedad) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Takefusa Kubo.
-
Offside, Paris Saint Germain. Kylian Mbappé is caught offside.
-
Lee Kang-In (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick on the left wing.
-
Foul by Hamari Traoré (Real Sociedad).
-
Lucas Hernández (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad).
-
Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad).
-
Substitution, Real Sociedad. Jon Olasagasti replaces Martín Zubimendi.
-
Substitution, Paris Saint Germain. Carlos Soler replaces Achraf Hakimi.