A night of drama, a dubious decision, and a red card couldn’t stop Real Madrid’s perfect start, as Kylian Mbappe’s spot-kicks secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a valiant Marseille.
Real Madrid’s latest Champions League campaign began not with a flourish, but with a fight, as a controversial late penalty handed them a 2-1 comeback win over Olympique Marseille on Wednesday. In a match marred by debate and a red card, it was the cool head of Kylian Mbappe that ultimately made the difference, with the French star converting two penalties to secure the points.
The match turned on a pivotal moment with the score tied 1-1. As Madrid pushed for a winner, defender Facundo Medina slid in to challenge Vinicius Junior, and the ball brushed his arm. The referee’s immediate penalty decision was upheld after a VAR review, leaving Marseille players and staff furious.
Even the match-winner admitted the ruling was a source of confusion. “For me it’s a penalty, but I understand there are people who don’t,” a pragmatic Mbappe told Movistar after the game. “We’re all lost with this rule. They say it’s a penalty, I shoot it and put it in, that’s all.”
The victory was anything but straightforward for coach Xabi Alonso in his European debut on the Madrid bench. The Spanish giants were rocked by an early injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold and then forced to play the final 20 minutes with ten men after captain Dani Carvajal was sent off for moving his head toward Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
Despite the chaos, Mbappe was the constant. He not only scored the decisive goals but also marked a personal milestone, reaching 50 goals for Real Madrid in just 64 appearances—the fastest any player has hit that mark since Cristiano Ronaldo.
Alonso praised his star’s impact, saying, “He’s in a good moment both personally and in a footballing sense, and I’m happy to be working with him.”
While the result extends Madrid’s perfect start to the season, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois acknowledged the performance was far from flawless. “The two goals came from penalties and our performance deserved more than that,” he admitted. “It was a good win to start with but it got tricky.”
For a Marseille side managed by Roberto De Zerbi, it was a heartbreaking defeat snatched from the jaws of a famous result, their enterprising play ultimately undone by a rule that, for now, continues to baffle everyone.
Similar Posts:
- Ten-Man Real Madrid Grind Out Gritty Victory Over Real Sociedad
- Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe Lead Real Madrid to 2-0 Victory Over Real Sociedad
- Mbappe’s Acrobatic Heroics Send Real Madrid Into Club World Cup Semis Amid Dramatic Finish
- Real Madrid Plotting £103 Million Bid for Kylian Mbappe as Transfer Window Deadline Approaches
- Ancelotti Points to Mbappe’s Defensive Struggles as Real Madrid’s Key Issue
