The Japan Times - Real Madrid thrash Levante as Mbappe hits brace

Kylian Mbappe scored twice to reach seven league goals in six matches as Xabi Alonso's side maintained their 100 percent record.

Vinicius Junior opened the scoring with a superb finish and Franco Mastantuono was also on target for the league leaders.

Second-placed Barcelona visit Real Oviedo on Thursday, with the Spanish champions trailing Madrid by five points.

Vinicius was unhappy to be taken off by Alonso during the win over Espanyol on Saturday but the Brazilian winger started on the left flank and delivered.

Since coming second to Manchester City's Rodri in last year's Ballon d'Or rankings Vinicius has struggled for consistency.

However, he found his rhythm at the Ciutat de Valencia stadium and opened the scoring after 28 minutes, following a bright start to the game.

Valencia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan made a good save to deny Vinicius and Mastantuono hit the bar from the rebound as Los Blancos threatened.

Then fed by Fede Valverde on the right of the box, Vinicius used the outside of his right boot to bend a sumptuous effort in at the far post.

Ivan Romero and Adrian de la Fuente came close for Levante in the opening stages but they were forced back and Madrid found their second when Vinicius set up Mastantuono, who rifled into the top corner.

Ryan denied Vinicius with a fine stop from close range before half-time.

Levante striker Karl Etta Eyong, in fine form himself at the start of the season, nodded home his fourth goal from close range after Romero's cross was deflected and looped into the air.

It offered Levante a brief glimmer of hope but that was quickly quashed by Mbappe.

Unai Elgezabal clumsily brought down the French superstar in the box and Mbappe cheekily dinked the resulting penalty down the middle for the third.

Then the forward, released by Arda Guler, rounded Ryan and tapped home his second of the night.

Mbappe struggled in his first few months at Madrid after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024, but hit top form in the second half of the season.

The striker has carried that into the new campaign and has nine goals in seven games across all competitions.

M.Yamazaki--JT