"I want to write history with Real Madrid."
Kylian Mbappe's message to the media was clear after his brilliant hat-trick destroyed Manchester City in the second leg of their 3-1 Champions League play-off win.
The French striker's goal in the 3-2 first-leg victory at Etihad Stadium may have come from a scuffed finish, but there was nothing fortunate about any of his three in the return at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday that sealed a 6-3 aggregate success over the English champions.
Mbappe's talent was on full display - his blistering pace, sharp movement and ruthless finishing proving too much for Pep Guardiola's side to handle and sealing the holders' place in the last 16.
Not long ago, the France captain had come under heavy scrutiny from Real fans and pundits after scoring just three times in 11 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti's side. It followed the 26-year-old's acrimonious exit from Paris St-Germain to join the Spanish giants on a free transfer last June when his contract ended.
But he has now scored 27 goals in all competitions so far this season after a 'slow start' to life in Madrid. It's safe to say he is no longer adapting, but thriving.
"The adaptation period for me has ended and now I have to show my quality," said Mbappe. "I want to play well here, I want to make a mark on the season.
"We wanted to win. We wanted to qualify for the next round. For us it was only logical that Real reached the next round of the Champions League."
Mbappe is now starting to look more like the feared frontman who scored 256 goals in 308 appearances during six years at PSG.
And the Real faithful have clearly embraced him too as he received a standing ovation when he was taken off in the 78th minute after his treble.
"What an ovation it is for Mbappe," said BBC Radio 5 Live's chief football correspondent John Murray.
"What a player. What a man. What an individual. Just listen to how they love him here in Madrid."
