Vinicius Junior’s decisive impact helped a “much faster” Real Madrid come from behind to beat Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday and move a point behind La Liga leaders Barcelona. After struggling to find their best form this season coach Carlo Ancelotti praised his team’s victory, even though it took its time to crystallise against the determined Catalans. Brazil star Vinicius started on the bench but created a goal for Rodrygo Goes before scoring himself to complete Madrid’s turnaround after a Thibaut Courtois own goal gifted the visitors the lead early in the second half.

Dani Carvajal levelled for Madrid soon afterwards before Vinicius took the reins, with Kylian Mbappe adding a late penalty to net in his fourth consecutive game for the club.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, boasting a perfect record of five wins from five matches, visit unbeaten Villarreal, fourth, on Sunday, looking to restore their four-point lead.

“I thought it was a good game, (the players) reacted well after Espanyol’s goal, we played much better, having more chances and I am happy,” Ancelotti told reporters.

Madrid have not been at their most fluent but this was a cut above their recent displays and the Italian was impressed.

“We played much faster, touching the ball quicker up front, with some better movement,” noted Ancelotti.

“Mobility is a very important weapon… bit by bit we’re returning to our best version.”

The comprehensive victory was Madrid’s 38th consecutive La Liga game without defeat, their last loss in the competition coming just under a year ago, against Atletico Madrid in September 2023.

“That says a lot, not losing games in so many weeks is really nice, but we have to continue,” said Madrid captain Luka Modric.

“It’s quality, character, commitment from the team, everyone is ready when called on… those are the key factors.”

Madrid had a stranglehold on the first half without being able to make the breakthrough, with Mbappe heavily involved, hunting for his sixth goal of the season across all competitions.

Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia made a fine save at his near post to thwart the France captain’s effort from a tight angle, among other stops.

Increasingly frustrated, Mbappe was booked for protesting against a decision called against him.

Madrid have been able to score just one first half goal in eight matches this season but on this occasion they were racking up the chances.

Carlos Romero came close for the promoted visitors early in the second period with a strike that flew off-target, but it was mostly one-way traffic in the other direction.

Madrid were therefore stunned when the visitors took the lead in the 54th minute, with Courtois clumsily deflecting Jofre Carreras’ cross into his own net.

Stylish comeback

Ancelotti sent on Vinicius immediately but it was Carvajal who levelled four minutes later, tapping home on the line after Bellingham’s cross squirmed away from the previously flawless Garcia.

Espanyol’s resistance crumbled and Vinicius produced a sublime cross with the outside of his boot to tee up Rodrygo for the second.

Mbappe unselfishly slipped Vinicius through on goal to tuck home the third and the former Paris-Saint Germain star dispatched a late penalty himself to complete a sizeable victory.

It was Mbappe’s fourth La Liga goal of the season, pulling him level with Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski as top scorer.

Endrick won the spot-kick as he exploded into the box and was dragged down by Romero.

Ancelotti said he had to be “unfair” to the 18-year-old Brazil striker, who is yet to start for the club.

“On one hand it’s unfair because he’s training very well, but on the other it’s that we have Rodrygo, Mbappe and Vinicius up front, you have to be a bit patient,” he said.

Elsewhere Valencia earned their first win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Girona, 13th, on Saturday.

The Catalan side have now suffered three consecutive defeats, including a 1-0 loss at PSG in their Champions League debut on Wednesday.

Real Madrid face Real Betis at the Bernabeu ahead of the international break.© AFP

Kylian Mbappe‘s La Liga debut for Real Madrid did not go as planned as Los Blancos drew at Mallorca last weekend, with coach Carlo Ancelotti believing the Spanish champions lacked “balance”. The French superstar striker will make his first home appearance for Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday against promoted side Real Valladolid, owned by former Madrid forward and Brazil great Ronaldo.

Mbappe is on course to enjoy a similarly sizable legacy in football, but is hoping to make a far greater impact at Madrid than Ronaldo was able to, during the club’s ‘galactico’ era.

Ronaldo won just one La Liga title and failed to lift the Champions League during five seasons in the Spanish capital between 2002-07.

One of the biggest problems during that period was a top-heavy side which boasted several superstar attackers but lost lynchpin Claude Makelele.

Ancelotti has lined up with Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham in the 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta and the 1-1 Mallorca draw, but criticised his team’s balance after both matches

“We just had to do better, with more attitude, you can learn from these games – it’s clear where the problem is,” Ancelotti told reporters last week.

“We need to defend better, we need more balance.”

One issue for Madrid is that Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo all prefer to be shifted towards the left flank.

Another is that by playing all three forwards, Bellingham is pushed back into a midfield role, when it seems after last season’s superb debut campaign where he helped Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League, he is most content contributing in attacking areas.

“(Balance) is found by all players thinking the same thing – when it comes to getting the ball back we all have to think about it together,” continued the Italian coach.

“It’s a team problem that they didn’t understand was a key aspect in this game, Mallorca played a great game in a defensive sense, better than us.”

While visitors Real Valladolid, who beat fellow promoted side Espanyol in their first match, do not pose too much threat to Madrid on paper, the sooner Ancelotti can get his team firing on all cylinders the happier he will be.

After years of links to Madrid, Mbappe completed his dream move this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.

The forward clinically struck against Atalanta in Warsaw but was shut out by Mallorca and their goalkeeper Dominik Greif.

Mbappe will hope to mark his first Bernabeu appearance for Madrid with a goal, weeks after he was greeted there by over 80,000 fans at his presentation.

Once Madrid’s forwards are on song, they will be difficult for any side to stop.

“When I saw them running towards me, I just prayed to God and asked myself — ‘what am I doing here?'” admitted Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo.

Madrid’s remarkable firepower could prove a double-edged sword with teams rising to the challenge of stopping the attacking quartet dubbed the “fantastic four”.

“We’re going to face the best team in the world, with one of the best coaches in history and the best attack in the world today,” said Valladolid coach Paulo Pezzolano.

“We know what we’re going to face, but we’re going there convinced that we’re going to compete and bring something back home, knowing that it’s difficult, but that we can do it.”

Player to watch: Julian Alvarez

The former Manchester City striker made his Atletico debut as a substitute at Villarreal in their opening fixture but could be given a bigger role against Girona on Sunday as he makes his first appearance at the Metropolitano stadium for Diego Simeone’s new-look Rojiblancos.

Key stats

0 – Real Valladolid were the only team in La Liga not to concede a goal in the opening round of fixtures

2 – With a brace against Valencia, Robert Lewandowski is the division’s top scorer

17 – French players appeared in week one, the most represented nationality behind 285 Spaniards

Fixtures

Friday (all times GMT)

Celta Vigo v Valencia (1700), Sevilla v Villarreal (1930)

Saturday

Osasuna v Real Malloca (1500), Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao (1700), Espanyol v Real Sociedad, Getafe v Rayo Vallecano (both 1930)

Sunday

Real Madrid v Real Valladolid (1500), Leganes v Las Palmas (1700), Alaves v Real Betis (1715), Atletico Madrid v Girona (1930)

Vinicius Junior during Brazil 0-0 Costa Rica in Copa America 2024.© AFP