Kylian Mbappe’s first goals in La Liga were worth the wait.
Real Madrid — and their headline summer signing — were on course for another frustrating league game with more than an hour gone against Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu.
But, after missing a couple of chances, Mbappe finally put his new side ahead in the 67th minute with a sweeping finish after a backheeled assist from Federico Valverde. Eight minutes later, Vinicius Junior won a penalty that he gave to the Frenchman, who slotted home to help silence some early doubts about this team.
“It’s not the happiest day, it’s a happy day,” head coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We defended well, we stepped up the pace in the second half as usually happens.”
It was no surprise to hear Ancelotti thought there was room for improvement, though.
“We are not at our best level, but it will come little by little,” he said. “We need to be more continuous, sometimes we get a bit off our rhythm… but we don’t have a goal problem.”
The Athletic takes a look at who stood out.
Mbappe’s first big night at the Bernabeu
It was a cruel statistic based on a very small sample size, but after last week’s 1-1 draw with Las Palmas, Opta reported that Mbappe had taken the greatest number of shots in La Liga (17) but had the worst difference between his expected goals figure (1.8) and those actually scored.
But that run could not stay the same forever, not for a player who scored a record 256 goals in 308 games for Paris Saint-Germain. He made it 1-0 here after latching on to Valverde’s fine backheel and producing a low finish past goalkeeper Rui Silva.
That is where Mbappe is at his best, but he did miss two clear-cut chances earlier on to bring his total to 18 shots in his last two games. Ancelotti played him as a No 9 again, with Vinicius Jr starting off the left, but the two seemed to have a better understanding and combined more easily.
“A bad relationship with Vinicius? It’s OK, we’re among the best, we’re famous, it’s normal for people to talk,” Mbappe said in the mixed zone afterwards.
Vinicius Jr gave Mbappe the chance to double his account from the spot when the Brazilian burst through and was brought down by Silva. Mbappe made no mistake after a VAR review.
“Vinicius has been very unselfish, they have a good relationship with each other,” Ancelotti said.
“The coach says that we both take penalties,” added Mbappe. “I don’t want to force the issue, it’s not my mentality.”
Mbappe was replaced in the 84th minute and received a standing ovation from the crowd, who chanted his name for the first time in a game on Sunday night.
“The goal is titles,” Mbappe said. “I have to score in every game.”
Tchouameni proves why he is irreplaceable
Aurelien Tchouameni’s role has changed after Toni Kroos’ shock retirement at the end of the last campaign.
The German was so often the conduit through which Madrid’s play flowed, so his fellow midfielders have had to step up in his absence. Valverde, who inherited Kroos’ No 8 shirt, said after last month’s win against Real Valladolid that he and Tchouameni had to improve.
Tchouameni has not had an easy start this season, sometimes struggling to give his side fluency. But he was one of the outstanding performers against Betis, achieving a 93 per cent passing accuracy, completing all three long balls he attempted and winning 11 duels.
Tchouameni looked assured against Betis (David S. Bustamante/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
He particularly excelled in the closing stages, blocking two shots and showing his defensive prowess in stopping any threat from Betis.
“Aurelien has shown all his quality,” Ancelotti said. “He’s a fantastic defensive pivot, he’s very young and he’s going to learn to play at the right time with the ball. He is irreplaceable defensively. He helps a lot at the back — he has contributed along with the defenders to our clean sheet.”
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The coaching staff are big believers in Tchouameni’s quality — and not just as a midfielder. The Frenchman filled in at centre-back last season and with David Alaba still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Tchouameni is considered to be a good backup in that position.
One stat perhaps points to another reason he is so important to Madrid: they have not lost a La Liga game he has started since May 21, 2023, 18 months ago.
Ceballos given a chance against old side after staying
Dani Ceballos was the name from Madrid on everyone’s lips at the end of the transfer window. The midfielder was keen to leave the Bernabeu and his former team Betis were interested, but Madrid didn’t let him go. They didn’t want to weaken their midfield, particularly given the departures of two of their most promising youth players, Mario Martin and Nico Paz, who both play there.
Ceballos will not start many games this season, but he is expected to play a more important role than previous seasons. Against Betis, he lined up alongside Tchouameni and Valverde in midfield.
Ceballos showed dedication on a rare start (Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
The Spaniard did not enjoy a great game, but showed impressive energy and drew applause from the crowd when he won back possession a few times. He looked in good spirits in the 64 minutes he played against his old club.
Ancelotti was pleased to be able to play with three central midfielders in a 4-3-3 system thanks to Ceballos’ inclusion — rather than two in a 4-2-3-1.
“The three midfielders give us more solidity inside,” he said. “The opposing team forces the play out wide and it’s easier for us to control it.”
The Italian’s tactical changes this season may give Ceballos a chance despite missing out on a move.
(Top photo: Federico Titone/Anadolu via Getty Images)
