Getty/GOALCarlo Ancelotti's big summer signing failed to find the net, but the league favourites ground out a sloppy win
When Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe go quiet, Real Madrid have to be able to turn somewhere. And on Sunday, in the middle of a poor Blancos performance, Federico Valverde and Brahim Diaz stepped up to score a pair of crucial goals. Endrick then stepped off the bench to open his Real account and cap off a 3-0 win.
Madrid struggled for long stretches of the first half as they appeared to miss the presence of the injured Jude Bellingham in midfield. Mbappe showed flashes with neat runs in behind, and forced a tidy save from the goalkeeper with an acrobatic volley. Still, the home side finished the opening 45 minutes with just one shot on target.
As in their season opener, though, Los Blancos improved immensely after the break. Valverde eventually found the breakthrough, his deflected free-kick fizzing into the bottom corner – much to the relief of a restless Santiago Bernabeu.
It really should have been three or four with 15 minutes remaining. Mbappe missed a couple of good chances, while Rodrygo's fluffed cross saw Vinicius Jr deprived of a tap-in. Eventually, substitute Brahim Diaz put the game beyond reach. Endrick buried an impressive third in second half stoppage time, giving Ancelotti's side their first win of the season.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu…
