Mbappe hat trick powers Real Madrid rout of Real Sociedad

Real Madrid crushed Real Sociedad 4-1 in La Liga behind a sensational Kylian Mbappe hat trick, giving Jose Mourinho a winning start in his first home game back in charge at the Bernabeu.

Two wins from two for Mourinho’s Real Madrid, with Vinicius Junior finding the net and Jude Bellingham pulling the strings with two assists in a masterclass performance, as the star trio picked apart their Basque visitors.

Mourinho, the veteran coach, kept faith in the same lineup that secured a late 2-1 win at Espanyol during his debut match last Saturday.

He said it would be tricky but not impossible to get the team’s three biggest names in the same team all at their best and this match suggested he is on the right track.

“This guy is incredible,” said Mourinho of Mbappe, while also praising Madrid’s overall display.

“I see him really hungry to make history with Real Madrid and I see a team where, despite Kylian being Kylian, it’s hard for me not to talk about the team,” he added.

An end-to-end start saw Vinicius shoot over and Alex Remiro deny Mbappe at his near post, while Thibaut Courtois made a sharp save from Mikel Oyarzabal at the other end.

Remiro made another key save to stop Vinicius after Mbappe set up the Brazilian, while Real Sociedad’s Sergio Gomez fired a volley narrowly wide of Courtois’ far post.

Madrid broke the deadlock five minutes before the interval when Federico Valverde picked out Mbappe.

The French striker produced a smart touch to shake off his marker before firing into the top corner, opening his scoring account for the season.

“It’s spectacular, incredible (to have Mbappe), we have to enjoy Mbappe and make the most of him as possible,” captain Valverde told.

“We have to give him a thousand balls so he is comfortable, he can score goals, and he’s happy.”

However, Los Blancos could not survive to the break without conceding the equalizer against last season’s Copa del Rey winners.

Job Ochieng dallied on the ball and his shot was blocked, but it fell nicely to Luka Sucic, who rammed home with the help of a deflection off Alvaro Carreras.

Star trio shine

Valverde explained that a tactical tweak to Madrid’s pressing after halftime made all the difference, delivering instant results on the pitch.

“We were finding it hard to get the ball back in their half,” the Uruguayan midfielder said. “We adjusted that and we were a lot more comfortable in the second half.”

Turkish star Arda Güler sent Mbappe through early in the second half, but Remiro made another save to keep out the Frenchman. The goalkeeper, however, was powerless to stop Mbappe’s next chance.

A slick combination between Valverde and Bellingham opened the way for the England international to find Mbappe, who calmly finished into the net.

Vinicius then added Madrid’s third after a relatively quiet outing, with Bellingham’s determination playing a key role in creating the opportunity.

Bellingham saw his initial effort blocked but continued pressing, recovering possession inside Real Sociedad’s box before teeing up Vinicius for a simple finish.

Buoyed by his goal, Vinicius then turned provider, sliding a perfectly weighted pass into Mbappe’s path. The striker completed his hat trick with a delicate chip over Remiro, arguably the standout finish of the match.

With seven minutes remaining, Vinicius was replaced by Madrid’s record signing Yan Diomande and shared a warm embrace with Mourinho as he left the field after an impressive outing.

Last season began to unravel for Madrid after Vinicius reacted angrily to being substituted by Xabi Alonso during October’s Clasico victory over Barcelona. This time, however, the forward, who recently extended his contract through 2032, left the pitch all smiles.

“I liked everything, and you might tell me the second half was good and the first half wasn’t, but I liked the team even when it wasn’t good,” Mourinho said pleased.

Spanish champions Barcelona host Athletic Bilbao Thursday, with new arrival Rodri expected to feature off the bench for Hansi Flick’s side.

DAILYSABAH