As guests at Almeria for the second round of La Liga, Real Madrid made the surprising decision to place newcomer goalkeeper Kepa on the bench, opting for Andriy Lunin in the starting lineup. The midfield featured familiar faces Valverde, Tchouameni, Kroos, and Bellingham.
However, an unexpected turn of events occurred in the 3rd minute as Real Madrid found themselves trailing after Sergio Arribas’s powerful header found the back of the net. But the visitors quickly responded, equalizing the score at 1-1 in the 19th minute with a close-range shot from Bellingham.
Throughout the remainder of the first half, Coach Ancelotti’s squad maintained pressure on the Almeria side, yet failed to net another goal. Transitioning into the second half, Real Madrid continued to dominate the field, while Almeria focused on defensive tactics.
The persistence of Real Madrid paid off in the 60th minute, and once again, it was Bellingham who shone. Receiving a precise pass from Toni Kroos, the former Dortmund star rose high to head the ball into Almeria’s net, putting Real in the lead at 2-1.
In the 73rd minute, Bellingham capped off his outstanding performance by providing an assist to Vinicius Junior, who confidently struck the ball within the penalty area, securing a decisive 3-1 victory for the Spanish giants.
This triumph propelled Carlo Ancelotti’s team to the top of the La Liga table with a perfect 6 points from two matches. As they head into the third round of La Liga, Real Madrid will face Celta Vigo on August 26th.
Lineup
Almeria: Maximiano, Pubill (Pozo 69), Chumi, Gonzalez, Akieme, Robertone (Melero 70), Baba (Lazaro 90), Embarba, Arribas (Puigmal 90), Ramazani (Kone 61), Suarez.
Goals: Arribas (3′)
Real Madrid: Lunin, Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Garcia, Valverde (Vazquez 90), Tchouameni, Kroos (Camavinga 72), Bellingham (Joselu 81), Rodrygo (Modric 72), Vinicius Junior (Diaz 90).
Goals: Bellingham (19′, 60′), Vinicius (73′)
