Real Madrid ended Racing Santander’s unbeaten LaLiga home start this season with a 3-0 win, denying the hosts a six-match unbeaten run in front of their own supporters in the top flight for the first time since 2011.
Racing have been a tough nut to crack at home this term, but Real’s visit proved their stiffest test to date. And their worst fears were realised within the opening 10 minutes when Matteo Prati tripped Kylian Mbappe inside the area to give away a penalty.
The Frenchman dusted himself off and stepped up from 12 yards to dispatch the opening goal, a positive omen for his side given his nine previous scoring appearances for Real this term had ended in victory.
However, the hosts were unwavering in their approach despite that early setback and went close to hitting back through Iker Luque moments later as he forced a fine reaction save out of Thibaut Courtois
That intervention proved key midway through the first half, when the visitors doubled their advantage. A swift one-touch passing move culminated in Arda Guler playing Jude Bellingham through on goal, and he rounded Julien Agirrezabala before slotting into an empty net.
Racing had a mountain to climb at 2-0 down, but their task was soon made insurmountable as Real netted a third goal. It was the pick of the bunch for Real too as, after Racing only half-cleared a corner, Yan Diomande was lurking on the edge of the area to volley an absolute rocket into the top corner.
Racing likely got a ticking-off at half-time from Jose Alberto Lopez, and whatever he said at the break almost made an immediate impact when Yassir Zabiri fired just over from inside the box.
Real weren’t willing to settle for just three goals, though, and Mbappe in particular sensed an opportunity to add to that tally, picking up the ball on the half-turn and driving through the heart of the Racing defence before curling an effort against the post.
Such was Racing’s luck on the day that, even when they did get a break in the form of a penalty after Aurelien Tchouameni’s handball inside the area, VAR confirmed that because the ball bounced up off his foot, it would not be awarded.
That just about summed up the afternoon from the hosts’ point of view as they were unable to follow up their win against Espanyol last time out, and they remain within touching distance of the sides in the bottom three. Real, meanwhile, kept pace with Barcelona at the summit thanks to a sixth consecutive win in all competitions.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Check out the match stats here.