Madrid, Spain — Kylian Mbappe ended his brief goal drought and helped Real Madrid secure a 2-0 victory over Real Betis on Sunday, lifting his team to second place in La Liga. The French captain, who joined Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in June, scored both goals in the second half to ease pressure ahead of the international break.
Real Madrid came into the match following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Las Palmas, and the absence of attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham due to a leg injury added to their challenges. The “New Galacticos” trio of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Rodrygo struggled to find rhythm early on, with misplaced passes and a lack of connection stalling the attack.
Real Betis, well-organized in defense, posed a threat on the counter-attack. Forward Abde Ezzalzouli missed two clear chances in the opening 15 minutes, both of which could have stunned the hosts. Real Madrid’s defense held firm, but their attack seemed disjointed, with Mbappe and Vinicius failing to find their usual spark.
Rodrygo, fixed in the right channel, couldn’t influence the game as much as desired, while Mbappe and Vinicius alternated positions without much success. The early signs mirrored Madrid’s struggles in previous games, as they worked to integrate Mbappe into their system.
Despite this, the home side grew into the match, and as the first half wore on, Mbappe began to show flashes of his brilliance. His pace and movement improved, hinting at what was to come.
After the break, Real Madrid appeared more energized. Mbappe and Vinicius started to connect more effectively, with the Brazilian winger hitting the post just five minutes into the second half.
The breakthrough finally came in the 67th minute when Federico Valverde’s clever back-heel set up Mbappe for a close-range finish. Valverde’s assist was a moment of vision and precision, beating the offside trap and leaving the Betis defense flat-footed.
Mbappe’s goal lifted the Bernabéu, and the Frenchman wasn’t finished. Just eight minutes later, Vinicius Jr. was fouled by Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva, earning Madrid a penalty. Mbappe stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the net, securing his second goal of the night and the three points for Real Madrid.
With this victory, Madrid now sits second in La Liga with eight points from their first four games, four points behind leaders Barcelona. The win provides a much-needed confidence boost as they head into a two-week international break.
Despite the victory, manager Carlo Ancelotti knows there’s still work to be done. Integrating Mbappe into Madrid’s attack has proven more challenging than expected, and the team’s slow start on Sunday highlighted areas for improvement. However, Mbappe’s two-goal performance will alleviate some of the pressure and give the squad momentum moving forward.
The international break will provide time for adjustments and recovery, particularly for players like Bellingham, whose return could further bolster Madrid’s attacking options. For now, though, Madrid can enjoy the relief of a hard-fought victory and look ahead to building on this performance when La Liga action resumes.