In a dominant display at the Santiago Bernabéu, Kylian Mbappé showcased his growing influence at Real Madrid with a spectacular hat-trick, leading Los Blancos to a comfortable 3-0 victory over struggling Real Valladolid on Saturday. The win extends Madrid's lead at the top of LaLiga to four points, capitalizing on Atlético Madrid's 1-1 draw with Villarreal.
The French superstar opened his account in the 30th minute with a clinical finish, completing a well-worked move involving Jude Bellingham. The duo's chemistry was evident as their quick one-two combination carved open the Valladolid defense before Mbappé unleashed an unstoppable right-footed strike past goalkeeper Karl Hein.
The second goal came through a devastating counter-attack in the 57th minute, with Mbappé combining effectively with Rodrygo. Finding space on the left side of the penalty area, the 26-year-old summer signing showed his composure to slot the ball past the goalkeeper, further demonstrating his adaptation to Spanish football.
The hat-trick was completed in dramatic fashion during stoppage time after Mario Martín's challenge on Bellingham resulted in both a penalty and a red card following a VAR review. Mbappé stepped up confidently to convert from the spot, securing his first hat-trick in Real Madrid colors.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV after the match, Mbappé expressed his satisfaction with both personal and team achievements: "Happy for the hat trick but more for the win, I say it every week but it was important to win today after Atletico's draw. We had to play well, we scored the first goal in a collective action. In the second half we could have played better, but we scored the second, managed well and scored the third."
Despite controlling possession with nearly 70% of the ball, Carlo Ancelotti's side managed just four shots on target in what was not their most fluid performance. The absence of Vinícius Jr., serving a suspension following his red card against Valencia, highlighted Madrid's reliance on Mbappé's goalscoring prowess on a cold evening in the Spanish capital.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has hit his stride in recent months, accumulating 15 LaLiga goals and 21 across all competitions. Following his brace against Las Palmas last week and Saturday's hat-trick, Mbappé now sits just one goal behind Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski in the race for the Pichichi trophy.
The result puts additional pressure on Barcelona, who host Valencia on Sunday, knowing that even a victory would leave them seven points adrift of their Clásico rivals in what is becoming an increasingly challenging title defense.
