Real Madrid delivered a statement performance as Kylian Mbappé struck twice and Jude Bellingham added a late flourish, tearing Monaco apart in Álvaro Arbeloa’s first Champions League match at the helm.
The 15‑time European champions produced a ruthless display that will lift spirits in the Spanish capital and sharpen their bid to reach the last 16.
Fast start, familiar foe
Madrid needed only five minutes to set the tone. A bright surge down the right from Franco Mastantuono released captain Federico Valverde, whose pass found Mbappé and the forward drilled a low right‑footed finish into the bottom corner.
The strike underlined a curious pattern: Mbappé, who joined Monaco’s academy as a 14‑year‑old, continues to haunt his old club, adding to an already remarkable record against them.
Mbappé on fire
The French superstar, this season’s Champions League top scorer, doubled the lead in the 26th minute. The goal capped a slick team move featuring a clever flick from Eduardo Camavinga and a low cross from Vinícius Júnior, a sequence that also answered recent criticism from the stands and showed the side’s attacking chemistry at its best.
Second-half surge
The floodgates opened after the break. In the 51st minute the lively Mastantuono — still only 18 — finished first time for his maiden Champions League goal after another incisive run from Vinícius.
Moments later Vinícius turned provider again when his low cross was diverted into his own net by former West Ham defender Thilo Kehrer, and the Brazilian then capped a dazzling individual display by thundering home a fifth, the ball cannoning in off the underside of the crossbar.
Monaco briefly rallied when Real’s attempt to play out from the back went awry and Jordan Teze punished the mistake, but England midfielder Jude Bellingham restored the five‑goal cushion by rounding goalkeeper Philipp Kohn to net his first goal of 2026.
What it means
The emphatic win lifts Real to second in the group with 15 points from seven games, leaving them well placed to secure progression. A positive result away at Benfica on 28 January would send them straight into the last 16 and spare them a two‑legged knockout play‑off.
Arbeloa’s early days in charge
Arbeloa, promoted from Real’s B team after Xabi Alonso’s departure on 12 January, has experienced a rollercoaster start: a shock Copa del Rey exit to second‑tier Albacete was followed by a morale‑boosting La Liga victory over Levante. This Champions League rout will be the kind of result that steadies a new manager’s hand and rekindles optimism among supporters.
Monaco’s challenge
For Monaco the defeat is a setback. Sitting on nine Champions League points, they now face a must‑win home clash with Juventus if they are to secure a play‑off spot and keep their European hopes alive.
