Kylian Mbappe shone brightly, netting two goals that helped Real Madrid secure a 4-1 win against Las Palmas, placing the defending champions at the summit of La Liga on Sunday.
The triumph positioned Los Blancos two points ahead of their city rivals, Atletico Madrid, who suffered a surprising defeat at Leganes on Saturday. Meanwhile, Barcelona, currently in third place, settled for a draw at Getafe.
After an uneven start at Real Madrid following his high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, the 26-year-old Mbappe has found his stride, reaching 12 league goals with his latest performance, placing him second in the Spanish league’s top scorer’s list behind Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.
With 18 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions this season, Mbappe is proving increasingly vital to his team’s attack. In this match, with Vinicius Junior suspended, all eyes were on Mbappe, and he dazzled the crowd at Santiago Bernabeu with his dynamic play.
Las Palmas took the lead barely 30 seconds into the game with a quick move that breached Madrid’s defence. Sandro Ramirez set up Fabio Silva, who scored from close range. However, Real Madrid quickly regained composure. Brahim Diaz missed a close shot, and Jasper Cillessen tipped a fierce strike from Mbappe over the bar.
Mbappe equalized from the penalty spot after Sandro brought down Rodrygo. He also played a pivotal role in Madrid’s second goal; Lucas Vazquez collected the rebound from Mbappe’s saved shot and passed it to Diaz, who made no mistake in converting it.
Mbappe’s second goal was a precise finish into the top corner following an assist from Rodrygo. He nearly completed a hat-trick before halftime, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
In the second half, Jude Bellingham and Fede Valverde had goals discounted for offside, but Madrid’s dominance continued. Rodrygo soon added the fourth goal, neatly finishing from Fran Garcia’s cross, which Mbappe had set up.
The match also marked a significant moment as David Alaba returned to play as a substitute after being sidelined with a knee injury for over a year. This bolstered Madrid’s defensive options as they continued their campaign.
