Mourinho's Real Madrid Thrash Malaga 4-0 as Revitalized Bellingham Steals the Show
AM730 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Real Madrid continued their scintillating form under returning coach Jose Mourinho, dismantling visitors Malaga 4-0 at the Bernabeu to maintain their position at the La Liga summit. England international Jude Bellingham emerged as the star performer with a dazzling individual effort and tactical intelligence that earned plaudits from his manager. The comprehensive victory saw Madrid keep their first clean sheet of the season while Barcelona, their closest rivals, still have a game in hand.
Key Points
- Bellingham opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a remarkable solo run, collecting the ball in midfield, bursting past three defenders, and finishing from a narrow angle
- The England midfielder doubled his tally in the 26th minute when his header from a set piece struck goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero and bounced into the net, resulting in an own goal
- French striker Kylian Mbappe added a third goal in the 30th minute before Turkish prospect Arda Guler capped the rout with a stoppage-time strike
- Mourinho revealed he instructed Bellingham to focus on attacking play rather than defensive duties, telling him he does not want to see him become a second left-back
- Bellingham has now contributed two goals and two assists across three consecutive wins, establishing himself as Madrid's creative fulcrum
Why It Matters
Mourinho's tactical repositioning of Bellingham has revitalized a player who struggled last season, transforming him into the creative engine of a star-studded attack featuring Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. The chemistry between these three elite forwards, whom Mourinho previously seemed reluctant to field together, suggests Madrid are building momentum toward challenging for domestic and European honours.
Mourinho's tactical repositioning of Bellingham has revitalized a player who struggled last season, transforming him into the creative engine of a star-studded attack featuring Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. The chemistry between these three elite forwards, whom Mourinho previously seemed reluctant to field together, suggests Madrid are building momentum toward challenging for domestic and European honours.