UCL: Mbappe hits four as Real Madrid edge Olympiacos  

Kylian Mbappe produced a stunning four-goal performance on Wednesday night as Real Madrid battled to a 4-3 win over Olympiacos in a dramatic Champions League clash in Greece.

Madrid came into the game without a win in their last three matches, and things got worse early on when Chiquinho fired Olympiacos ahead with a sharp strike from outside the box.

But Mbappe soon turned the match on its head.

The French captain levelled in the 22nd minute after sprinting onto a pass from Vinicius Junior and finishing through the legs of goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis. Two minutes later, he headed in Arda Guler’s cross to put Madrid in front.

Mbappe completed his hat-trick inside six minutes and 42 seconds — the second-fastest in Champions League history — by racing behind the defence again and calmly scoring past Tzolakis.

Only Mohamed Salah’s 2022 hat-trick for Liverpool was quicker.

Olympiacos pulled one back in the second half through Mehdi Taremi, who replaced the injured Chiquinho, with a powerful header past stand-in Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. The Ukrainian filled in for Thibaut Courtois, who missed the trip due to illness.

Madrid had never won an away match in Greece in seven previous attempts, but Mbappe ended that record when he tapped in his fourth goal after brilliant work from Vinicius down the left.

The strike took Mbappe to nine goals in five Champions League matches this season, putting him three ahead of Victor Osimhen in the scoring race.

Olympiacos refused to give up and reduced the deficit again when Ayoub El Kaabi scored with nine minutes left, but Madrid held on for their fourth win in the group.

Madrid’s victory also helped them recover from their Champions League defeat to Liverpool on matchday four.