In a dominant display at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid demolished Monaco 6-1 in the UEFA Champions League league phase, propelled by Kylian Mbappe’s brilliance against his former club. The French superstar netted a brace early on, setting the tone for a rout that strengthens Madrid’s push for the top eight.
Mbappe struck first in the fifth minute, latching onto a precise through ball from Fede Valverde to slot home coolly. He added his second around the 25th minute with a clever slide at the far post, giving Real a 2-0 lead at halftime. The second half saw Madrid unleash havoc: Franco Mastantuono fired in the third in the 51st minute, followed by an own goal from Thilo Kehrer. Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham then piled on with the fifth and sixth strikes, while Jordan Teze’s lone goal for Monaco was mere consolation.
This emphatic victory keeps Real Madrid firmly in contention for knockout qualification, showcasing their attacking firepower and depth. Mbappe’s performance was a poignant reminder of his growth since leaving Monaco, where he once shone as a prodigy.
Meanwhile, Sporting CP pulled off a stunning upset in Portugal, edging Paris Saint-Germain 2-1. Luis Suarez emerged as the hero, scoring in the 74th and 90th minutes to catapult Sporting to sixth in the standings. PSG dominated possession but had two goals disallowed, with substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia briefly equalizing via a curling beauty. Suarez’s late header sealed the dramatic win, exposing PSG’s vulnerabilities despite their star-studded lineup.
In other action, Ajax snatched a last-gasp victory over Villarreal thanks to Oliver Edvardsen’s stoppage-time strike, while Olympiacos stunned Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 at home. Costinha and Mehdi Taremi’s swift counters, backed by Kostas Tzolakis’ heroics in goal, ended Leverkusen’s 14-match unbeaten streak against the Greeks. These results shake up the league phase, highlighting the competition’s unpredictability as teams battle for supremacy.