Real Madrid secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Racing Santander on Sunday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a penalty and Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande also finding the net. The win keeps third-place Madrid within three points of leaders Barcelona. Mbappe's goal was his 12th league goal of the season, making him one of the top scorers in the league. The French forward had a tumultuous week, narrowly losing out on the Ballon d'Or to Harry Kane and apologizing for a social media video that sparked controversy.
The match was not broadcast by Chinese state television due to the fallout from Mbappe's video, in which he joked about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Despite the controversy, Mbappe was on target, winning a soft penalty in the 11th minute and smashing it home to put Madrid ahead. Bellingham and Diomande also scored, with Bellingham reaching his 50th goal since joining Madrid in 2023. The England international's milestone goal came after a fine pass from Arda Guler sent him through on goal.
Madrid's coach, Jose Mourinho, praised his team's performance, saying they were very strong in the first half and should have scored even more goals with the chances they had. Mourinho's side have won six straight games across all competitions and are a point behind city rivals Atletico Madrid. The team's recent form has been impressive, with Bellingham scoring his 50th goal for the club and Mbappe continuing to make an impact.
The hosts, Racing Santander, started the second half well, pushing Madrid back, but Madrid regained control and created several more chances. Mbappe hit the post, and Bellingham was denied by Racing goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. Racing had a penalty award cancelled after a VAR review, and Bellingham had a second goal ruled out in stoppage time.
The win for Madrid comes after a busy week for the team, with several high-profile matches and controversies surrounding Mbappe. Despite the challenges, the team has shown resilience and a strong team dynamic. Bellingham's 50th goal for the club was a highlight of the match, and he expressed his happiness at reaching the milestone.
In other matches, Sevilla suffered a 3-1 loss at Getafe, while Valencia beat Elche 1-0. Athletic Bilbao edged Real Sociedad 2-1 in a Basque derby clash, with Inaki Williams and Alex Berenguer scoring for Athletic. The results keep the pressure on in the league, with several teams vying for position.
The defeat for Racing Santander was their first home defeat of the campaign, and they remain 16th in the league. Their coach, Jose Alberto, expressed frustration with the penalty award that led to Mbappe's goal, saying it annoyed him. Despite the loss, Alberto acknowledged that Madrid were a great team and put Racing under a lot of pressure.
Key points
- Mbappe scored a penalty to help Real Madrid win 3-0 at Racing Santander.
- Jude Bellingham reached his 50th goal since joining Madrid in 2023.
- The win keeps Madrid within three points of leaders Barcelona.
