Real Madrid 4-0 Málaga (Bellingham, OG, Mbappé & Güler). The wins keep coming… Here is my reaction to the goal scoring display. Still to come: Player ratings, quotes from the presser and a podcast.
Two years ago, Málaga were lining up to play at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano to play against Real Madrid Castilla in a third division league fixture. A far cry from the Málaga of old. Now, they visit the Bernabéu on their return to La Liga to face Real Madrid. Normality restored. Brahim Díaz and Dean
Huijsen both started against their former youth academy club. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella started on the flanks. The remainder of the team was similar to that from from the previous fixtures, other than the noticeable absence of Arda Güler, who was benched. Fede Valverde captained the team
It may have been an exciting match on paper, but on the field Málaga didn’t look prepared for the step up to elite football. Real Madrid almost had a penalty early on, before Jude Bellingham rounded the defence before finishing low to hand Los Blancos the lead. Bellingham would double the lead after heading in a rebound, but the goal would go down as an own goal due to a touch from the keeper helping it in on its way. Kylian Mbappé would then cash in his goal per game with a strong first time effort from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross. 3-0 at half-time and flying.
Jude Bellingham hit the post to kick-start the action in the second half. The visitors would get the next chance, firing a shot just over. Málaga then almost had a penalty, only for VAR to overturn the referee’s initial decision. Arda Güler came onto the field very late on, but that did not stop him scoring the fourth – linking up with Vinícius Júnior well to walk around the back-line and tap home. Full-time, 4-0 to Real Madrid – and another superb result. What were your thoughts about the game?
