Real Madrid moved four points clear at the top of La Liga with a convincing 3-0 victory over Real Valladolid on Saturday. Kylian Mbappe was the star of the show, scoring his first hattrick for the club and taking his league tally to 15 goals this season.
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 30th minute, curling a shot into the far corner from Jude Bellingham’s cross. The French captain doubled Real’s lead in the 57th minute, latching onto Rodrygo’s pass and unleashing a fierce shot into the bottom corner. Mbappe completed his hattrick in added time, converting a penalty after Mario Martin’s reckless tackle on Bellingham led to the Real Valladolid player’s dismissal.
The win was Real Madrid’s latest statement of intent in La Liga, and they now sit four points clear of their nearest rivals. Atletico Madrid drew earlier on Saturday, allowing Real to take full advantage and extend their lead at the top of the table. Real Valladolid, meanwhile, remain bottom of La Liga, still searching for a way to turn their season around.
After the match, Mbappe expressed his delight at the win, saying: “I’m happy with the hattrick, but above all, the three points. It was very important to win today because the Atlético result put us under pressure. We started well, pressing in the opposition half, and we scored the first goal. After the break, there were ten minutes where we could have played better, but we scored the second, and from then on, we managed the game well. We’re going back to Madrid with the win.”
Mbappe’s hattrick was a testament to his incredible form this season. The French captain has now scored 22 goals in all competitions, and his partnership with Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo is proving to be a formidable force in La Liga. With the Champions League on the horizon, Real Madrid will be hoping to carry this form into the European competition.
Attention now turns to the Champions League for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who travel to Brest on Wednesday needing a win to stand any chance of a top-eight finish. With their La Liga campaign going from strength to strength, Real Madrid will be looking to make a statement in the Champions League and prove themselves as one of the top teams in Europe.
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