Real Madrid extended their unbeaten start to the La Liga season with a commanding 4-0 victory over Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. Under the management of Jose Mourinho, Los Blancos showcased a strong attacking performance, scoring three goals in just over 10 minutes during the first half.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 19th minute, displaying individual skill by eluding two defenders before slotting the ball through Malaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero’s legs. The English midfielder then played a role in the second goal, which came from an own goal by Herrero after Bellingham headed a rebound into the box following a save from Kylian Mbappe’s shot. Mbappe added the third goal with a volley from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross, marking his fourth goal of the season and positioning him as the top scorer in Spain’s La Liga at this early stage.
Malaga, who were promoted this season, showed some resilience before halftime, with Rafa Rodriguez striking the post and Chupe narrowly missing the target on separate occasions. However, Real Madrid remained largely in control throughout the match.
In the second half, Madrid’s intensity eased as the team focused on game management. Bellingham continued to threaten, hitting the outside of the post, but the team found the net only once more. A late goal was set up by Vinicius Junior, who assisted substitute Arda Guler for a close-range finish. This marked Real Madrid’s first clean sheet of the season, a defensive milestone Mourinho emphasized. “Football isn’t just about the beauty of goals — it’s also about going home thinking that we’re a solid unit,” Mourinho said, reflecting on the team’s defensive performance.
Mourinho employed rotation ahead of the match, making five changes to the lineup from the opening games, handing first starts of the campaign to players including Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella. This tactical adjustment did not disrupt Madrid’s dominance as the team secured their third consecutive win to maintain their perfect start.
Elsewhere in La Liga, Deportivo La Coruna claimed their first victory of the season with a 3-1 win over Valencia. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his third goal of the campaign, aided by two own goals from Valencia defenders Cesar Tarrega and Mouctar Diakhaby.
Athletic Bilbao also secured their initial win, defeating Celta Vigo 2-0 courtesy of goals from Alex Berenguer and Robert Navarro. League champions Barcelona are set to play Rayo Vallecano on Monday in their third match of the season, following two early comfortable wins.