TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD and Vinicius started on the bench as Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid made it two La Liga wins from two with a 3-0 win away to newly-promoted Real Oviedo.
Madrid’s first two goals were scored by Kylian Mbappe, with Vinicius coming off the bench to add a third goal in stoppage time. Brazilian forward Rodrygo started ahead of compatriot Vinicus, while Dani Carvajal returned from injury to take the captain’s armband and a spot in the team ahead of Alexander-Arnold.
Argentinian teenage sensation Franco Mastantuono made his full debut in another change for Madrid. The 18-year-old showed his explosive dribbling ability early on when he burst past two defenders into the Oviedo box before going down and looking appealingly at the uninterested referee.
A rare foray forward by the hosts saw Leander Dendoncker run onto a throughball and try to catch Thibaut Courtois out with a chipped effort in the 23rd minute. The Belgian shotstopper beat a hasty retreat before easily plucking the ball from the sky.
Madrid came close to forcing a breakthrough when Arda Guler drive from inside the box was excellently saved by goalkeeper Aaron Escandell. The Turkish international turned provider as he drilled a pass into Mbappe’s feet on 37 minutes, which the Frenchman welcomed on the turn before firing across Escandell.
The goal was met by furious protests from the home side after Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni seemed to follow through strongly on Dendoncker when winning possession back for his side in the build-up.
Madrid nearly doubled their lead five minutes into the second period when a defensive mix-up resulted in a clearance sliced straight into the hands of a grateful Escandell.
Rodrygo and the lively Mastantuono made way for Vinicius and Brahim Diaz just after the hour.
Diaz immediately created a gilt-edged chance for the galloping Fede Valverde when his cushioned pass found the Uruguayan inside the box, but Escandell produced a fingertip save to keep the score at 1-0.
Kwasi Sibo came within inches of sending the home support wild when, out of nowhere, he struck the post for Oviedo with Courtois rooted to the spot on 81 minutes.
That chance served to wake Madrid up. Vinicius won the ball two minutes later and drove forward towards the box before slipping a disguised pass to Mbappe who slotted home first time.
The Brazilian then scored in the 93rd minute, when Diaz found him in space and he slipped home a composed finish.
Elsewhere, Villarreal hammered Girona 5-0 at home as new signing Tajon Buchanan netted a hat-trick to open his La Liga account.
In Italy, Jonathan David made a goalscoring start to his Serie A career on Sunday, netting the opening goal in Juventus’ straightforward 2-0 win over Parma.
Canada striker David guided home from Kenan Yildiz’s low cross in the 59th minute to send Juve on their way to three points at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
The 25-year-old was brought in as a free agent to help boost an attack which had for too long been let down by misfiring Dusan Vlahovic, and David showcased the goalscoring instincts which made him a hero at Lille.
But it was Vlahovic, who is reportedly on the transfer list at Juve, who made sure of the win near the end of an uninspiring contest when he tapped home another Yildiz pass from close range with six minutes remaining.
David’s former side Lille beat Monaco in Ligue Un, a 1-0 victory courtesy of Olivier Giroud’s late goal.
Earlier, Rennes had two players sent off in the first 10 minutes and four seconds at Lorient and went on to lose 4-0.
The week before Rennes had played an hour a man short but still beaten Marseille 1-0.
“We need aggression,” said Rennes coach Habib Beye. “Last year we didn’t have enough, now we have too much.”
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