Kylian Mbappe was at his dazzling best as Real Madrid fought to defeat Real Sociedad 2-1 in La Liga on Saturday, despite playing for an hour with 10 men following Dean Huijsen’s red card.
Mbappe and Arda Guler’s first-half goals were enough to keep Los Blancos unbeaten, with Mikel Oyarzabal drawing one back for the hosts from the penalty spot.
Xabi Alonso’s side leads the table with 12 points from four games, with Athletic Bilbao up next against Alaves, and champions Barcelona hosting Valencia on Sunday.
Huijsen was sent off for bringing down Oyarzabal as he went through on goal with Madrid ahead 1-0 thanks to Mbappe’s opening, and the Frenchman set up Guler for the second.
“The red card changed the game a bit, but we weren’t afraid; we scored the second… We suffered as a team, but we go home with the three points,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
“The start to the season has been very good, and mine too, but the season is nine months, 11 with a World Cup, so I have to play well for a lot more time (to come).”
Madrid started with Dani Carvajal at right-back, leaving Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench. Fede Valverde was rested, and Dani Ceballos came in.
Guler had an early goal disallowed for offside as Los Blancos started strongly, with Real Sociedad still looking for their first win under new coach Sergio Francisco.
Mbappe broke the deadlock after 12 minutes with a clinical finish after a loose back-pass.
“For me it was a yellow card; (Militao) was close, and the ball was not under control, and seeing the replay didn’t change my mind,” Alonso said.
“I asked about it, (the referee) explained it, and it didn’t convince me.”
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Guler extended Madrid’s lead before halftime with a slick finish off a fantastic move by French starlet Mbappe, who set him up after floating inside from the left.
The hosts improved in the second half, winning a penalty for a Carvajal handball, which Oyarzabal converted.
However, the Basque side did not have enough to win the game, with Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois twice thwarting Oyarzabal.
Alonso informed Madrid’s players ahead of the match that they would be chosen on merit, and after a disappointing afternoon, Vinicius Junior was substituted by Fran Garcia with over 20 minutes remaining, as the coach attempted to wrap up business against his former playing team.
Madrid won after six minutes of stoppage time.
