Kylian Mbappe was in inspired form, scoring twice to lead Real Madrid to a thrilling 4-1 comeback win at home against Las Palmas on Sunday. This victory propels the defending champions to the top of the Spanish La Liga standings.
Real Madrid soared past Atletico Madrid, who were stunned 1-0 by Leganes on Saturday, securing 46 points and moving two ahead of their local rivals. Meanwhile, third-placed Barcelona trails by seven points after a 1-1 draw at Getafe.
The match began with a surprise as Las Palmas took the lead just 25 seconds after kickoff, thanks to Fabio Silva’s close-range finish from a Sandro cross. However, Real Madrid quickly responded, with Mbappe converting a penalty in the 18th minute after Rodrygo was fouled in the box.
With Vinicius Junior suspended for the first of two league games, Mbappe stepped up as the key attacking force for Madrid. His dynamic performance included strong link-ups with Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, putting constant pressure on Las Palmas’ goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.
In the 33rd minute, Lucas Vazquez was fouled on the rebound, allowing Brahim Diaz to tap the ball into the empty net, making it 2-1. Mbappe extended the lead three minutes later with a precise first-time shot into the top corner from the edge of the box, assisted by Rodrygo. The final goal came from Rodrygo himself during a swift counter-attack in the 57th minute, sealing the 4-1 victory.
The game took a dramatic turn when Las Palmas was reduced to 10 men in the 64th minute after substitute Benito Ramirez received a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Vazquez.
Despite Real Madrid easing off their offensive pressure towards the end, they had three significant efforts by Mbappe, Bellingham, and Federico Valverde disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for offsides.
Speaking after the match, Mbappe shared his joy, saying, \"It was an important win for us because we took advantage of what happened to Atletico and Barcelona on Saturday. We wanted to win and we won. The team's reaction was brilliant. I think all the fans enjoyed the game because we played well and now we are leaders. It's a dream to play for Real and to listen to the fans chant my name. I'm very happy because I've adapted to the team, and I'm playing the way I want to play, and enjoying it again.\"
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Mbappe shines as Real Madrid surge from behind to stomp Las Palmas 4-1
cgtn.com
