Real Madrid registered a 3-0 La Liga victory at Real Oviedo, with Kylian Mbappe bagging scoring in each half before Vinicius added a late third to lock the match.
The match carried special importance for the Asturian outfit as he returned to the Spanish top flight after over two decades away. Their fans turned the event into a festival, welcoming the 15-time European winners with raucous backing, but it was Madrid’s star quality that eventually prevailed.
Mbappe and Vinicius Junior provided the decisive moments in northern Spain, with the French forward scoring a brace before the Brazilian applied the finishing touch in stoppage time.
Madrid coach Xabi Alonso opted for rotation following the narrow 1-0 win against Osasuna in the opening week. Dani Carvajal returned from injury to captain the side, while Rodrygo Goes started in attack in place of Vinicius. Trent Alexander-Arnold also dropped to the bench. The response from Vinicius was emphatic—coming on for the final half-hour to deliver an assist and a goal.
“It was a very serious, very complete game,” said Alonso. “With and without the ball. Playing as a team. And Vini came on and had a role in those two goals that gave us peace of mind. There will be games for everyone. Decisions are made with the team in mind, and that’s how it was today.”
One of the evening’s biggest stories was a first senior start for 18-year-old Argentine prodigy Franco Mastantuono. The teenager immediately showcased his flair, slaloming into the penalty area before appeals for a foul were waved away by the referee.
Oviedo carved out a rare opening midway through the first half, when Leander Dendoncker attempted to lob Thibaut Courtois, only for the Belgian to claim the effort comfortably. At the other end, Arda Guler looked sharp, drawing a fine save from goalkeeper Aaron Escandell. Minutes later, Guler turned provider, threading a clever pass to Mbappe, who swiveled and drilled a finish across the keeper to break the deadlock. Oviedo protested in vain, insisting Aurelien Tchouameni had fouled Dendoncker in the build-up.
Alonso’s substitutions after the hour injected fresh energy, with Vinicius and Brahim Diaz replacing Mastantuono and Rodrygo. Diaz nearly created an immediate second for Fede Valverde, whose effort was tipped wide.
The hosts nearly equalised in dramatic fashion when Kwasi Sibo smashed the post from distance in the 81st minute. That scare galvanized Madrid. Vinicius pounced moments later, winning the ball and sliding a disguised pass for Mbappe, who calmly swept home his second. The Brazilian then added his own name to the scoresheet in added time, finishing off a Diaz assist to seal the points.
In other La Liga action, Villarreal produced a stunning performance to demolish Girona 5-0. Canadian winger Tajon Buchanan stole the show with a hat-trick on his league debut, while Nicolas Pepe and Rafa Marin were also on target. Girona, who featured in the Champions League last season, slumped to the bottom after back-to-back defeats, conceding seven without reply.
Elsewhere, Real Sociedad came from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw against Espanyol, and Ante Budimir’s early strike guided Osasuna to a 1-0 victory over Valencia, who finished with 10 men.
