Kylian Mbappe moved within touching distance of Cristiano Ronaldo’s calendar-year scoring record as Real Madrid narrowly escaped with a 3-2 victory over third-tier Talavera de la Reina in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. The French captain netted twice, taking his 2025 tally to 58 goals; just one shy of Ronaldo’s club record of 59 set in 2013.
With one match remaining against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, Mbappe has a final chance to go past the Portuguese legend. Despite the individual milestone, the night was far from comfortable for Xabi Alonso’s side, who were pushed to the limit by their lower-league opponents.
Alonso opted for heavy rotation, making ten changes from the weekend’s La Liga win and fielding young talents like Endrick and Arda Guler. The visitors dominated possession but struggled to break down a spirited Talavera defense until the 41st minute, when Marcos Moreno was penalized for a handball inside the box.
Mbappe converted the penalty to break the deadlock. Minutes later, Madrid doubled their advantage with a slice of fortune just before halftime; Mbappe’s driven cross deflected off defender Manuel Farrando and into the net, sending the visitors into the break with a seemingly secure 2-0 lead.
Madrid squandered several chances to kill the game early in the second half, with Mbappe missing a clear one-on-one opportunity. Talavera punished this profligacy in the 80th minute when Farrando set up Nahuel Arroyo to rifle a low shot past goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.
The hosts sensed an upset, but their momentum was briefly halted by a goalkeeping error. In the 88th minute, a tame long-range effort from Mbappe slipped through the hands of Jaime Gonzalez, restoring Madrid's two-goal cushion and seemingly putting the tie to bed.
The drama continued into stoppage time as Talavera refused to surrender. Gonzalo Di Renzo reacted first to poke home a rebound after Isaiah Navarro’s free-kick struck the woodwork, bringing the score to 3-2. With the home crowd of 4,000 roaring them on, Talavera nearly forced extra time in the dying seconds.
Navarro diverted a cross goalwards, forcing Lunin into a spectacular reflex save to preserve the win. The victory ensures Madrid’s progression to the last 16, though the scrappy performance did little to silence questions regarding the team's form under Alonso.
The result marked Real Madrid's third win in five games, offering some relief to Alonso following recent scrutiny. Talavera managed 16 shots and tested the European champions until the final whistle. But, the focus now shifts to Saturday’s La Liga clash against Sevilla, where the narrative will center on whether Mbappe can score the two goals needed to rewrite the club's history books.
