Marseille versus Real Madrid ends with a 2-1 scoreline in the UEFA Champions League, with Mbappe scoring two penalties to secure a victory for Real Madrid in their opening match.
In a thrilling Champions League encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Olympique Marseille. The game saw several key moments, including a standout performance from Kylian Mbappe who scored twice from penalties to reach 50 goals in 64 matches for the club.
Mbappe's first goal, the 50th of his Real Madrid career, came after a clumsy lunge on Rodrygo by Geoffrey Kondogbia, resulting in a penalty. The French forward confidently converted the spot-kick, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the fastest player to reach 50 goals for the club since November 2010.
Real Madrid dominated the first half, registering 11 shots on target, their highest tally in the opening 45 minutes of a Champions League match since data collection began in 2003-04. However, they passed up numerous chances either side of half-time, with Franco Mastantuono hitting the post during the match.
The game took a dramatic turn when Dani Carvajal was sent off for a headbutt towards Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. Carvajal's dismissal forced the referee to consult the VAR monitor, adding tension to the already intense match.
Timothy Weah scored on his Champions League debut for Marseille, becoming the first player to do so since Gabriel Heinze in 2009. The goal momentarily gave Marseille hope, but Real Madrid responded through Mbappe's second penalty of the night.
Xabi Alonso, who made his debut as Real Madrid boss at the beginning of the 2025/26 season, led the team to this important win. Madrid accumulated 3.65 expected goals (xG) in the game, while Marseille had 0.73 xG, highlighting Real Madrid's dominance in terms of chances created.
The game ended with Madrid finishing with 15 shots on target, which is their highest tally in a coach's Champions League debut since the 2003-04 season. Despite the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold to an apparent hamstring injury early in the game, Alonso's Real Madrid showed resilience and determination to secure a crucial victory.
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