Real Keep Rolling: Mbappé at the Double, Vinicius Seals the Party

Real Madrid continue their strong start to the new La Liga season. After edging out Osasuna in their opener, Xabi Alonso’s men built on that momentum with a convincing 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo. The night belonged to Kylian Mbappé, who struck twice to underline his growing importance in the attack, before Vinicius Jr added a late goal to complete the celebration at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The fixture had an interesting context from the start. Against newly-promoted Oviedo, Xabi Alonso made several bold changes to his lineup. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Vinicius Jr were surprisingly named on the bench, while Rodrygo and the young Argentine talent Mastantuono were trusted from the first whistle. Antonio Rüdiger also returned to anchor the defense, and Arda Güler partnered Mbappé up front.

The early stages showed that Oviedo were not going to be overawed. Compact and disciplined, the visitors absorbed Madrid’s pressure and even looked to break forward when the chance came. But the energy and movement of Rodrygo and Mastantuono quickly began to stretch their backline, with the young Argentine nearly breaking the deadlock in the 34th minute with a fierce strike that was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Joan Escandell.

Moments later, the breakthrough arrived. Arda Güler slipped a clever pass into Mbappé, who produced a world-class touch and finish to fire Madrid ahead in the 37th minute. It was a classic Mbappé goal—sharp, clinical, and full of composure. The strike, however, did not come without controversy, as Oviedo players protested a hard challenge from Aurélien Tchouaméni in the buildup. The referee waved away appeals, and the goal stood.

After halftime, Real Madrid tightened their grip on possession but struggled to kill off the game. Federico Valverde came close with a powerful shot, only for Escandell to pull off another impressive save in the 67th minute. The tension inside the Bernabéu grew when Oviedo nearly equalized late on, striking the post in the 81st minute—a reminder that Madrid’s lead was still fragile.

But as champions often do, Madrid found a way to seal the contest. In the 84th minute, Vinicius Jr, introduced from the bench, raced forward and delivered a perfect ball into the path of Mbappé. The Frenchman made no mistake, slotting home his second of the night and his third league goal of the season. Just two matches into the campaign, Mbappé is already making his presence felt in Spain.

The forward almost completed a hat-trick moments later, narrowly missing the target with another attempt. Still, his work was done. Deep into stoppage time, Vinicius Jr capped off the evening with a goal of his own. Showing trademark flair, he skipped past his marker before calmly finishing to make it 3-0 in the 94th minute. The Bernabéu erupted as the Brazilian added the finishing touch to Madrid’s triumph.

For Real Madrid, it was a victory that may not have been sparkling in terms of style, but it was ruthlessly efficient. Alonso’s side are now two wins from two to begin the season, with Mbappé and Vinicius already forming a devastating partnership in attack. The Frenchman’s finishing and the Brazilian’s dynamism promise to be a lethal combination as the season progresses.

For Oviedo, the night ended in frustration. Their brave display nearly earned them a famous equalizer, but fine margins went against them. A late shot against the post summed up their evening: close, but not quite enough. They now turn their attention to a difficult away trip against Real Sociedad, still searching for their first top-flight win of the campaign.

In the end, Madrid got exactly what they needed: three points, a clean sheet, and their star players shining when it mattered most. While Alonso will know his side still have work to do in terms of rhythm and fluidity, the individual brilliance of Mbappé and Vinicius makes them a constant threat. If these two continue at this level, the Bernabéu faithful can expect many more nights of celebration this season.