Kylian Mbappe made a significant impact in his La Liga career by scoring brace as his first goals for Real Madrid in a 2-0 victory over Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, a victory which propels Madrid to second place in the league standings.
After a slow start to the season, during which Mbappe failed to score in the first three league matches, he finally broke his drought in the 67th minute. He netted his first goal by finishing a brilliant back-heel pass from Federico Valverde, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Just eight minutes later, Mbappe doubled the lead by converting a penalty after Vinicius Junior was fouled in the box, a decision confirmed by VAR.“It’s a great moment,” Mbappe said in a post-match interview.
“I was really hoping to score at the Bernabeu, in this mythical stadium, the best in the world. But the most important thing was to win.”
Mbappe life at Real Madrid has been in dim-light after what to be a dream achieved plummeted after a disastrous start to the La Liga campaign, where he suffered to prove his worth to the much anticipated fans of Real Madrid.
With his brace, Mbappe will head into the international break fully motivated as he will aim to continue his goalscoring form until he returned back to Madrid in week time.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti defended Mbappe against recent criticism, stating that the team never put pressure on him to score. He praised the French star’s effectiveness in the box and emphasized the importance of his contributions to the team beyond just goals. Ancelotti also highlighted the team’s collective effort, noting that they are motivated to improve as they head into the international break.
With this victory, Real Madrid now sits second in La Liga with eight points, four behind early leaders Barcelona, who achieved a commanding 7-0 win over Real Valladolid on Saturday. Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are also on eight points, with Girona following closely after securing their second win of the season.
Mbappe’s performance not only alleviates some pressure on him but also solidifies his role within the team as they aim for a successful season. He will now join the French national team for international duty before returning to action with Real Madrid against Real Sociedad on September 14.
