MADRID: Kylian Mbappe scored twice, including a spectacular individual goal, as Real Madrid defeated Sevilla 4-1 on Sunday to move into third place in La Liga.
Arda Guler opened the scoring with a stunning strike before Mbappe added two goals, including a chipped penalty. Yan Diomande also found the net as Real Madrid moved above Real Betis in the standings.
Despite the convincing victory, Madrid remain six points behind leaders Barcelona, who strengthened their position with a win over Betis on Saturday. Atletico Madrid occupy second place ahead of next weekend’s Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou.
Mbappe Shines with Spectacular Double
Real Madrid initially struggled to break down Sevilla’s defence, but Guler changed the momentum with a superb goal in the 30th minute.
Jude Bellingham sent the ball towards the flank, where summer signing Diomande played it back to Guler. The Turkish midfielder then produced a brilliant effort from the edge of the penalty area, lifting the ball beyond goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and into the top corner.
Mbappe came close to extending the lead with a rapid run towards goal, but his low shot was saved.
The French forward soon delivered a moment of individual brilliance. Bellingham backheeled the ball into his path, allowing Mbappe to turn past a defender with a roulette move before evading the goalkeeper and finishing confidently.
Mbappe later converted a penalty with a delicate Panenka-style chip after going down following contact from Andres Castrin inside the box.
The goal took his league tally to nine for the season and further strengthened his position among La Liga’s leading scorers.
Diomande Seals Comfortable Victory
Sevilla briefly threatened to make the contest more competitive when Manuel Bueno scored with a well-placed finish.
However, Real Madrid quickly restored their control as Diomande struck from outside the penalty area to make it 4-1.
The Ivory Coast winger, who joined Madrid from RB Leipzig during the summer, scored his second goal since arriving at the Spanish club.
Madrid’s victory also provided a positive result ahead of their upcoming Champions League meeting with Leipzig.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV, head coach Jose Mourinho praised his players’ performance while acknowledging that the team was still developing its understanding.
“We played a great game… we are a team and we work to improve, we’ve only been together for a very short time,” Mourinho said.
He added that the pressure associated with managing Real Madrid made it difficult to enjoy the same calm that coaches might experience at other clubs, but said the team was making the most of its time together.
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Guler Avoids Red Card in Controversial Incident
Despite Madrid’s commanding victory, the match was overshadowed by a refereeing controversy involving Guler.
Midway through the first half, the midfielder appeared to elbow Sevilla’s Peque during an off-the-ball incident. The referee did not dismiss him, a decision that prompted strong protests from Sevilla’s players and coaching staff.
Sevilla head coach Luis Garcia Plaza argued that his side had been denied the opportunity to play against 10 opponents.
“There’s a match that’s 11 against 11 where they deserve to win, without any doubt, but we were denied the chance to play another match,” Garcia Plaza said.
He insisted that Guler should have been sent off around the 25th minute and suggested the decision had significantly affected the contest.
Garcia Plaza also speculated that the referee might have avoided dismissing Guler because Real Madrid would otherwise have approached the Clasico nine points behind Barcelona.
Mourinho, meanwhile, said he had not seen replays that established whether Guler had elbowed Peque.
Tensions Continue Between Real Madrid and La Liga
The controversy comes amid growing tensions between Real Madrid and Spanish football authorities over refereeing decisions.
Madrid supporters recently protested against La Liga president Javier Tebas at the Santiago Bernabeu, chanting and displaying banners after he criticised the club’s approach to refereeing disputes.
Tebas had compared Madrid’s strategy of attempting to discredit referees to techniques associated with Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels.
The club and Mourinho have also voiced repeated complaints about Spanish refereeing in recent weeks, with the dispute continuing against the backdrop of Madrid’s failure to win a major trophy over the previous two seasons.
On Sunday, however, it was Sevilla who felt aggrieved by the officials’ decisions, even as Madrid secured a comfortable victory.
Other La Liga Results
Elsewhere, Real Sociedad moved up to fifth place after defeating bottom-side Malaga 5-2.
Celta Vigo secured a 2-1 victory over Alaves, while Osasuna defeated Racing Santander 2-0.
Real Madrid’s win keeps them in contention near the top of the table, but Barcelona retain a six-point advantage heading into next weekend’s highly anticipated Clasico.
