Mbappé Shines as Real Madrid Sweep Aside Athletic Club
So, let me walk you through what turned into a dominant and confidence-boosting night for Real Madrid at San Mamés. It was one of those matches where you could feel the tone being set almost immediately, and before Athletic Club even had time to settle, they found themselves chasing shadows.
The breakthrough came incredibly early. In just the seventh minute, a diagonal ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold was controlled beautifully by Kylian Mbappé. The touch was immaculate, the burst of speed was electric, and the finish—drilled into the far corner—felt like classic Mbappé. It was the kind of moment that not only sparks a team into life but also quiets an entire stadium in an instant.
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From that point on, Real Madrid controlled the momentum. Athletic Club tried to push forward, but every attempt felt rushed or predictable. Real’s midfield trio—Tchouaméni, Bellingham, and Camavinga—kept moving the ball with calm authority. And just before halftime, the lead was doubled. This time, Alexander-Arnold clipped in a clever ball from the right, and Mbappé rose to meet it, heading it back across goal where Eduardo Camavinga was waiting. With the keeper stranded, Camavinga simply nodded it into an empty net. By the break, it already felt like Real were cruising.
In the second half, the pattern barely changed. Athletic Club showed some intent, especially through Nico Williams, but the Real Madrid defence stood firm. Éder Militão and Antonio Rüdiger were winning everything in the air, and Thibaut Courtois barely had anything meaningful to deal with. Then, just before the hour mark, Mbappé struck again. A low, dipping shot caught Unai Simón by surprise and slipped past him, wrapping up the Frenchman’s brace and sealing the result.
The closing stages were more about game management. Real knocked the ball around confidently, substitutes came on to keep legs fresh, and the away fans could already start celebrating. The only sour notes were the injuries: first Alexander-Arnold, who had to come off after feeling discomfort in his leg, and later Camavinga, who also signaled a problem. Those moments will worry Xabi Alonso, especially with a tight title race and a busy schedule ahead.
But looking at the bigger picture, this match snapped Real’s three-game winless streak and moved them within a single point of league leaders Barcelona. For Athletic Club, the defeat continued a difficult run, leaving them stuck in mid-table and searching for solutions.
Overall, it was a statement win from Real Madrid—controlled, clinical, and led by a superstar who made the difference from start to finish.
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