If there was a defining moment in Real Madrid's romp over Manchester City, it was the beaming Kylian Mbappe wheeling away in celebration, pointing in the direction that he had just made Josko Gvardiol - by consensus one of the finest left-backs in the world - slide out of his way before bashing the ball into the back of the net. Mbappe knew he had just done something special, and he had to acknowledge it.
Of course, Mbappe has found the net 357 other times over the course of his career. Three of them came in one World Cup final. This is not a footballer unfamiliar with the big stage, or uncomfortable when he gets there. Instead, Mbappe, especially a happy Mbappe, is the ultimate big-game player. Need someone to carry your side past a struggling Manchester City and into the Champions League last 16 after an underwhelming start to the season? We have the €150 million man just for you.
On Wednesday, big-game Mbappe turned up. In some ways, his performance was a little sloppy; his passing was wayward, his touch occasionally off. But when it counted, he stood up. Five shots, five on target, three goals, Player of the Match.
More broadly, Mbappe enjoyed his first big European night in a Madrid shirt. Having fallen flat in a couple of Clasicos and been questioned for his slow start to life in Spain, here was Mbappe arriving in full, showing that with him at the centre, Los Blancos - crippled by injury and lacking their usual depth - are still Champions League favourites.
