Real Madrid brushed aside Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening, in the “postponed” first-round fixture of the Spanish La Liga.
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 40th minute. Luka Sucic levelled for Sociedad four minutes later, but Mbappe struck again on 59 and Vinicius Junior made it three on 68. The Frenchman then completed his hat-trick and Madrid’s fourth on 80.
Balanced first half with goals traded
Both sides began cautiously. The first chance fell to Real Madrid in the second minute through a long ball from Huijsen towards Dumfries, who couldn’t reach it.
Sociedad nearly went ahead in the 11th minute when Oyarzabal shot from inside the penalty area, only for Thibaut Courtois to produce a superb save. The visitors’ defence held firm on 17 minutes, snuffing out Mbappe’s forays, before Vinicius wasted a clear chance in the 20th minute after a pass from Bellingham, Alex Remiro shining with a brilliant stop.
Sociedad enjoyed a spell of dominance in the middle of the half. Oyarzabal tried to break through in the 28th minute but Valverde won the ball back, then the same man intercepted a through ball aimed at Kubo on 33 minutes. Sucic nearly scored moments later with a volley that flew just wide of Courtois’s goal.
The breakthrough came in the 40th minute. Mbappe collected a pass from Valverde inside the penalty area and struck a magnificent finish into Remiro’s net. The Frenchman tried to double the lead on 43 minutes but the goalkeeper gathered, and Sociedad hit straight back in the 44th through Sucic, who pounced on a rebound from Oyarzabal’s effort to level. Half-time: 1-1.
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Fiery second half: Mbappe paints his hat-trick masterpiece
Mbappe wasted a certain chance seconds after the restart, in the 47th minute, when a pass from Guler sent him one-on-one with Remiro, who came up trumps with a stunning save at his feet. Attacks flowed both ways, met by desperate defending, until the 57th minute.
Then came the moment. Mbappe and Bellingham combined superbly in the 59th minute, the Frenchman slotting home for the second, and Jude turned provider again on 68 minutes, robbing the Sociedad defence and teeing up Vinicius for the third.
Madrid nearly grabbed a fourth on 74 minutes after Bellingham’s pass to Mbappe, but the Frenchman’s delivery didn’t reach Vinicius. Mbappe closed the account in the 80th minute, latching onto a magical pass from Vinicius to score the fourth and complete a wonderful hat-trick, sealing a deserved 4-1 win.
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Substitute Brahim Diaz thought he’d put the final touch on the goal fest in the 90th minute. He followed up a powerful Asensio shot that Remiro brilliantly saved and rolled it into the empty net, sparking wild celebrations in the stands.
The joy didn’t last. The assistant referee’s flag was up for offside against Diaz, VAR intervened to confirm the call, and Madrid’s goal was chalked off, denying Real a historic five-goal haul on a night of Mbappe brilliance.