Bellingham leads Real Madrid past Málaga to stay perfect

Real Madrid preserved their perfect start to the La Liga season with a commanding 4-0 home win over promoted Málaga, taking control early and rarely allowing the contest to drift out of their hands.

Bellingham sets the tone at the Bernabéu

The breakthrough came from Jude Bellingham, whose individual quality gave Madrid the platform for another smooth domestic victory. The midfielder collected a loose ball near the edge of the area, surged through the middle past three defenders and finished low past Alfonso Herrero.

That opening goal established the pattern of the afternoon. Madrid were sharper, more direct and far more clinical, and they quickly turned their early superiority into a commanding lead.

Three goals inside 30 minutes

The home side doubled their advantage soon after when Herrero could only push out an effort from Kylian Mbappé. Bellingham reacted first to head the rebound back towards goal, and as the Málaga goalkeeper and a teammate tried to recover, the ball ended up in the net for an own goal.

Mbappé then added Madrid’s third in the 30th minute, meeting a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold with a crisp volley from the centre of the box. By that stage, the result already felt beyond the promoted visitors, who struggled to cope with Madrid’s speed and movement in the final third.

Güler adds the finishing touch

The second half was played at a calmer tempo, with Madrid already in complete control. Their fourth arrived in added time and came from substitute Arda Güler, who helped start the move before continuing his run and converting Vinícius Júnior’s return pass.

It completed an emphatic afternoon for Madrid, who had effectively settled the game before the interval and then finished it off late on.

Madrid’s strong start continues

The victory moved Real Madrid onto nine points from three matches, keeping their flawless opening intact. They sit two points clear of Atlético Madrid and Alavés, while Barcelona are on six points with a game in hand before hosting Rayo Vallecano on Monday.

For Málaga, the trip to the Bernabéu ended in a heavy defeat, underlining the scale of the challenge facing a promoted side against one of the division’s strongest teams. For Madrid, though, this was another assured step forward, with Bellingham once again at the centre of it.