Real Madrid reduced the gap at the top of La Liga to four points on Sunday, cruising to an emphatic 5-1 victory over Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabéu. In the absence of top scorer Kylian Mbappé, who is sidelined with a knee sprain, 21-year-old academy graduate Gonzalo García seized his opportunity by netting a perfect hat-trick. Real saw bursts of momentum, and had phases where Betis seemed like running back into the game.
García opened the scoring in the 20th minute, meeting a Rodrygo Goes free-kick with a looping header at the back post. Despite Betis threatening an equalizer before the break, Madrid doubled their advantage early in the second half when García controlled a long ball from Federico Valverde on his chest and struck a clinical volley into the bottom corner.
Academy graduate defender Raúl Asencio soon made it 3-0, nodding home another Rodrygo delivery to register his first senior goal for the club.
Real Betis briefly threatened a comeback when Cucho Hernández rounded Thibaut Courtois to pull one back in the 66th minute. The visitors twice hit the woodwork through Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo Riquelme, as the home crowd grew briefly restless.
However, García settled the contest in the 83rd minute with a sublime backheel flick from an Arda Güler cross, completing his first La Liga hat-trick. Fran García added a fifth in stoppage time, converting a Valverde cross to round off Madrid’s most comprehensive performance in months.
Following the match, Alonso was quick to praise his young striker's impact and work ethic. "Gonzalo understands the defensive work the team requires, and if you add that quality to his goals, it’s a great thing," Alonso told reporters.
García, who previously top-scored at last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, remained humble despite the spotlight. "I just focus on myself, working day by day and taking the opportunities the coach gives me," García said. "I have the best players in the world in front of me, like Mbappé, Rodrygo, Bellingham, and Vinícius."
While the night was a triumph for the youth products, Vinícius Jr. faced a mixed reception, with sections of the Bernabéu whistling the Brazilian as he was substituted. Vinícius remains goalless in his last 15 matches, but Alonso dismissed concerns over the winger’s form. "Vini has contributed a lot; he was persistent and disruptive," Alonso insisted. "He is and has been fundamental at Madrid. I’m sure the Bernabéu will applaud him in the future, I have no doubt about that."
The victory keeps Real Madrid (45 points) within striking distance of Barcelona (49 points), who defeated Espanyol on Saturday. Madrid will now pause their league campaign as they travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup, where they are set to face city rivals Atlético Madrid in the semi-finals on Thursday, January 8.