Spanish champions Real Madrid earned a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid in La Liga on Sunday as Kylian Mbappe made his Santiago Bernabeu bow without finding the net.
Atletico Madrid comfortably beat last season’s surprise package Girona by the same scoreline later on in the capital.
Madrid’s French striker Mbappe played at home for the first time in a Los Blancos shirt, but was largely frustrated by Valladolid’s defense.
Photo: Reuters
Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde opened the scoring after 50 minutes and substitutes Brahim Diaz and debutant Endrick struck late on.
Without the injured Jude Bellingham Madrid created little in the first half, but did enough after the break to earn their first win of the season, following an opening draw at Real Mallorca.
Still lacking fluency in attack, Carlo Ancelotti’s side stayed two points behind rivals Barcelona, who beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
“We were too slow in the first half, the second half we were much more active, there was more movement, much faster with the ball,” Ancelotti said.
Real Valladolid set out to frustrate the champions in the summer heat and succeeded for 45 minutes.
Madrid came out with more bite in the second half and Valverde smashed home a vicious low free-kick with the help of a deflection to break the deadlock.
Mbappe blew a golden opportunity to get off the mark when Vinicius cut the ball across to him, but Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein saved well.
The France captain had another chance on the counter-attack, but fired wide before being replaced by 18-year-old Brazilian forward Endrick.
Mbappe scored on his debut in a UEFA Super Cup triumph, but in La Liga has failed to score in his opening two matches.
Diaz secured Madrid’s win with a neat lobbed finish and then teed up Endrick, who drilled home at the near post to celebrate his first appearance for the club in style.
“[Endrick] has got a lot of potential and for his goal he showed his quality,” Ancelotti said.
“He’s a centre-forward who plays in the box, in small spaces he’s very dangerous,” he said.
Madrid signed Endrick from Brazilian club Palmeiras in 2022, but he arrived this summer, once old enough to move.
Elsewhere, Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente and Koke’s strikes helped Diego Simeone’s Atletico claim their first win of the campaign against Girona.
Julian Alvarez started for the Rojiblancos at their Metropolitano stadium while new arrival Conor Gallagher made his debut as a substitute after joining from Chelsea.
“The fans were really excited for this one, playing at home for the first time in some time, with new signings — a perfect night,” Griezmann said.
Girona, who lost several key players in the summer, have only one point from their first two matches.
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