Kylian Mbappe’s brace fires 10-man Real Madrid to gritty comeback victory | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s 200th Champions League victory did not arrive with the authority their record demands, but with the resilience that has defined them for decades.

A 2-1 win over Marseille, ground out with 10 men and carried by two Kylian Mbappe penalties, was not about control or spectacle. It was about surviving setbacks and trusting their star to settle the chaos.

The evening had started awkwardly. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first European appearance for Madrid ended inside five minutes with a hamstring problem, Dani Carvajal drafted in as an early substitute.

When Timothy Weah pounced on Arda Guler’s loose touch and thundered Marseille into the lead after 22 minutes, the Bernabeu braced itself for an anxious night.

Mbappe’s response was emphatic. Rodrygo was bundled over in the box and the forward dispatched the penalty with trademark precision. His acrobatic bicycle kick earlier had hinted at intent, but this was substance when it mattered.

Even so, Madrid’s problems deepened. Carvajal’s clash with Geronimo Rulli brought a red card in the 72nd minute, leaving his team short-handed once more in Europe. Lesser sides might have crumbled. Madrid sharpened their focus.

Vinicius Junior’s dart forced a desperate handball from Facundo Medina, and Mbappe once again shouldered the responsibility. Same side, same outcome, same roar from the stands. His brace sealed the comeback and his 50th goal for the club.

Marseille still threatened, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang twice testing Thibaut Courtois, but Madrid refused to surrender the initiative. Their organisation in the closing stages reflected a side that knows how to manage nights of jeopardy.

For Xabi Alonso, it was a first Champions League game in charge that encapsulated everything about Madrid’s European mythology: early blows, controversy, defiance, and finally victory.

Mbappe now has six goals in five games this season, his impact immediate and relentless. Valverde put it simply — the team’s job is to get him the ball. That clarity may yet drive another run deep into the competition.

This was not vintage Madrid, but it was classic Madrid. A hard-fought win, history ticked over, and their talisman once again delivering on demand.