Two Basque managers came into one of Spain’s classic fixtures under pressure, as former Real Sociedad man Xabi Alonso returned to a place that he was never popular in San Mames.
His Real Madrid side were in need of a performance, while Ernesto Valverde is very much keen to see his side recover some of the imposing nature of old.
Kylian Mbappé was the decisive figure for Real Madrid as they secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Athletic Club at San Mamés, providing a much-needed performance for manager Xabi Alonso, according to a report from Football España.
The French forward, described as the “biggest constant” in Real Madrid’s season, imposed himself early, driving at the defense before “bulleting the ball into the corner” for his first goal after just five minutes.
Mbappé’s influence continued throughout the game. The forward was directly involved in Los Blancos’ second goal, which came from “arguably their best move of the season.”
Following an exchange of passes involving Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Alvaro Carreras, Trent Alexander-Arnold crossed the ball, which Mbappé headed back across goal for Eduardo Camavinga to convert with ease just before the break.
In the second half, Mbappé sealed the result, scoring his second goal from outside the box—a “vicious effort” that saw the net bulge for the third time.
The victory was “a deeply satisfying” one for Alonso, whose side was “at times direct, at others probed for gaps in the defence, but always with a high tempo.”
The report noted that this performance combined to make for “one of Real Madrid’s most complete performances of the season.”