Mbappe scores twice as Real Madrid heats up the La Liga title race

04/12/2025 07:32:00 soccer

In the early hours of December 4th, Santiago Bernabeu saw a convincing performance as Kylian Mbappe contributed to all three goals, helping Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga's 15th round.

This victory not only ended a disappointing streak of three draws but also enabled Xabi Alonso’s team to reduce the gap to Barcelona to just one point, providing a significant boost in the title race.

It was also Real’s sixth win in their last seven meetings with Bilbao, highlighting the clear superiority of "Los Blancos" over their Basque rivals.

Real Madrid started proactively and quickly, taking only seven minutes to score the opening goal. Assisted by a sharp pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mbappe used his pace and power to break through before firing a decisive shot from the edge of the box, leaving goalkeeper Unai Simon no chance to intervene.

Real Madrid defeated the home side Bilbao 3-0 in the 15th round of La Liga.

After conceding early, Athletic Bilbao pushed forward to respond. Guruzeta had a shot narrowly off target, and Berenguer faced Courtois but failed to score. Nevertheless, the visitors lacked precision in crucial moments.

At the end of the first half, Real Madrid once again demonstrated maximum efficiency. Alexander-Arnold continued to shine with a precise cross, allowing Mbappe to cleverly assist Camavinga, who charged in to head home and double the lead.

Real Madrid ended a difficult November on a high note.

In the second half, despite Alexander-Arnold and Camavinga leaving the field due to injuries, the home team maintained full control of the match. Mbappe remained the star, and in the 55th minute, the French striker unleashed a top-class long-range shot, leaving Unai Simon helpless as the ball flew into the net, sealing a 3-0 victory for Real.

Athletic Bilbao tried to find a consolation goal, but Guruzeta’s attempts were not enough to change the outcome. Real Madrid preserved their win and earned three vital points.

For Mbappe, the brace in this match increased his total La Liga goals for the season to 16. The 25-year-old star is also nearing the 59-goal mark in a calendar year for Real Madrid, a record previously set by Cristiano Ronaldo. Currently, he has 56 goals with four matches left to break the record, promising an exciting journey ahead.

+Goalscorers: Mbappe (7', 59'), Camavinga (42')

+Starting lineups

Bilbao:Simon, Lekue, Vivian, Laporte, Boiro, Galarreta, Mora, Berenguer, Jauregizar, Nico Williams, Guruzeta

Real Madrid:Courtois, Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Rudiger, Carreras, Camavinga, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Valverde, Mbappe, Vinicius