Even without the presence of stars Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham on the pitch, Real Madrid showcased their depth at the Santiago Bernabeu. A clinical 4-1 demolition of Real Sociedad not only ended the visitors' 11-game unbeaten streak but also catapulted Alvaro Arbeloa's side to the summit of La Liga, two points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona.
The Bernabeu crowd gave a rapturous welcome to Trent Alexander-Arnold, making his first start after a two-month thigh injury layoff. He didn't take long to remind the Madridistas what they’d been missing.
TAA Effect: Just five minutes in, Alexander-Arnold whipped in a trademark cross that found Gonzalo Garcia, who poked it home for the opener.
Carvajal is back: Around the hour mark, the defensive unit received another boost as Dani Carvajal made his first appearance since the October Clásico, replacing Alexander-Arnold to steady the ship.
With Mbappe watching from the bench due to left knee discomfort, Vinicius Junior took on the mantle of the protagonist.
Restoring the lead: After Mikel Oyarzabal equalized for Sociedad from the spot (21'), Vini was brought down by Jon Aramburu just four minutes later. He converted the resulting penalty with ease.
Sealing the points: Early in the second half, history repeated itself. Aramburu again fouled the Brazilian, and Vini again found the back of the net for his 10th goal of the season.
Denied hat-trick: Vinicius thought he had secured the match ball in the 90th minute with a header, but the effort was chalked off for offside.
Captain Federico Valverde finally opened his account for the season in spectacular fashion. Left with too much space at the edge of the box in the 31st minute, the Uruguayan unleashed a trademark low-trajectory strike that left Alex Remiro with no chance.
We produced an assured team performance. Kylian was able to play, but there was no need to rush him with the Champions League on the horizon.Álvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid Coach
| Category | Real Madrid | Real Sociedad |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 4 (García 5', Vini 25' [P], 48' [P], Valverde 31') | 1 (Oyarzabal 21' [P]) |
| Possession | 58% | 42% |
| Shots on Target | 7 | 2 |
| Key Return | Trent Alexander-Arnold (Assist) | Mikel Oyarzabal (Goal) |
| League Position | 1st (4 points clear of Girona) | 6th |