Mbappe shines as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to cut Barcelona’s lead, with two goals and an assist in a dominant La Liga display
Kylian Mbappe delivered a commanding performance as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0, with Mbappe shines becoming the theme of the night after the forward scored twice and assisted another to close Barcelona’s La Liga lead to one point.
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Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso watched his side end a run of three straight away draws with one of their most convincing showings of the season at San Mames.
Mbappe opened the scoring early after a precise long pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold, before nodding the ball back for Eduardo Camavinga to head in Madrid’s second before half-time.
Mbappe struck again after the break to claim his 16th league goal of the campaign, firing in from distance to seal the win.
Alonso praised his team’s complete display, saying they showed calmness and control throughout a demanding match.
He said the victory was vital after last weekend’s draw at Girona and urged focus ahead of Sunday’s fixture against Celta Vigo.
Madrid’s night was not without concern, as Alexander-Arnold and Camavinga both left the pitch with apparent injuries.
Alonso said the demanding schedule required quick recovery and minimal dwelling on setbacks.
Athletic Bilbao struggled to contain Mbappe, who missed a penalty in last season’s fixture but looked unstoppable on his return.
Alonso noted his connection with Vinicius Junior, which produced multiple chances and stretched the home side’s defence.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also played a crucial role, keeping out efforts from Gorka Guruzeta, Alex Berenguer and Mikel Jauregizar during Athletic’s brief attacking spells.
Camavinga’s late injury added another worry for Alonso, who returned to the Basque Country for a commanding performance against his former rivals.
Vinicius even shared a warm embrace with the coach when substituted, easing recent speculation of tension between them.
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Athletic defender Inigo Lekue admitted Madrid’s superiority, saying his team “couldn’t play their game” despite their efforts.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
