First-half flurry powers Real Madrid past Malaga as Mbappe and Bellingham both score

Having won their last nine home league games against promoted sides, Real were undeniably fancied to continue their 100% start to the campaign. Malaga started brightly, but once the floodgates opened, the hosts were unstoppable, netting three times in 11 minutes.

Jude Bellingham needed no help to break the deadlock, seizing upon a loose ball before striding into the box, feinting to shoot, and tucking in from an acute angle with poise.

The England international was celebrating again soon after, yet this one went down as an own goal after his header was blocked by Carlos Puga, only to immediately cannon off Alfonso Herrero’s back.

A low fizzed cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold was then swept in first-time by Kylian Mbappe to round off the first-half scoring, all but sealing the result before half-time.

Real were hardly at full tilt as the second half got underway, with the game looking beyond their visitors barring a minor miracle.

Nonetheless, Bellingham rattled the woodwork with a fierce strike, shortly before Alexander-Arnold tested Herrero as he searched for his first goal for the club, and Mbappe came off worse for wear when heading over from close range. 

With the game drifting towards its inevitable conclusion, Yan Diomande was excused for a handball offence by VAR, after Antonio Rudiger had headed a free-kick onto his arm from point-blank range in the box.

That kept the scoreline unchanged, confirming a fourth consecutive LaLiga season in which Los Boquerones have failed to come away with wins in any of their opening three fixtures.

Substitute Arda Guler then rubbed salt in the wounds with a stoppage-time tap-in to add gloss to the scoreline.

Real are now on a run of six straight LaLiga wins dating back to last season, having last tasted defeat in May’s El Clasico.

For Malaga, it’s just two points from a possible 39 in their last 13 top-flight away matches (D2, L11), continuing from where they left off in their relegation campaign back in 2017/18.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

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