Three goals in 11 first-half minutes settled this one long before halftime. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 19th minute, an Alfonso Herrero own goal doubled the lead seven minutes later, and Kylian Mbappé added a third at the half-hour mark to put Real Madrid in total control at the Bernabéu. Arda Güler came off the bench to add a fourth in stoppage time, completing a 4-0 win that, according to ua.news, maintained Madrid’s perfect La Liga start under José Mourinho.
Key Moments
- 19′, Jude Bellingham opened the scoring with a composed finish to give Real Madrid the lead.
- 26′, Alfonso Herrero turned the ball into his own net under pressure, doubling Madrid’s advantage.
- 30′, Kylian Mbappé converted a Trent Alexander-Arnold assist to make it 3-0, completing a devastating 11-minute burst.
- 65′, Brahim Díaz was replaced by Yan Diomande as Mourinho began his rotations with the game long won.
- 90′, Arda Güler, on as a substitute three minutes earlier, tucked home a Vinícius Júnior assist to seal the rout.
Tactical Breakdown
Real Madrid controlled the match from the first whistle, finishing with 57% possession, 19 total shots, and an xG of 2.34 against Malaga’s 0.72. The 4-2-3-1 shape gave Bellingham license to arrive late into the box, while Trent Alexander-Arnold’s forward runs from right back repeatedly exposed Malaga’s mid-block. The assist for Mbappé’s goal was a product of exactly that pattern, Alexander-Arnold threading through to find the Frenchman in space.
The match was effectively over as a contest by the 30th minute. Mourinho used the second half to manage minutes, withdrawing Brahim Díaz at 65, Federico Valverde at 77, and Bellingham himself at 87, giving Arda Güler the chance to add gloss in stoppage time. The Turkish midfielder wasted none of it, finishing Vinícius Júnior’s low cross for his first goal of the season.
For Malaga, the numbers told a sobering story. They managed just one shot on target across 94 minutes, while goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero made four saves to prevent the scoreline from being worse. Sitting 19th in La Liga with one point from three games, Juan Funes’s side struggled to string passes together in threatening areas and were too easily bypassed through the lines, particularly in that catastrophic opening half-hour.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
The result leaves Real Madrid with nine points from three games, sitting top of La Liga with a maximum return, according to goal.com. Mourinho, per beinsports.com, has now won all three of his competitive matches in charge. Malaga, on one point and in the relegation zone, face a difficult stretch with very little margin for error as the season develops.
Malaga
Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham
Kylian Mbappé