Kylian Mbappé tears through Real Sociedad with a hat trick and propels Real Madrid to the top of the standings

(With information from AFP) - Real Madrid provisionally climbed to first place in the La Liga standings after defeating Real Sociedad 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu in a postponed match from the opening round of the Spanish league.

The decisive victory allowed the Merengues to displace Sevilla at the top of the table, thanks to a better goal difference so far this season.

The match also marked José Mourinho's official return to the Real Madrid bench in front of his home crowd. The team's focus on discipline, teamwork, and efficiency found its perfect embodiment in Kylian Mbappé, who scored three of the home team's four goals.

From initial doubts to Mbappé's masterful performance

The match began with Real Madrid determined to dictate the pace, though Real Sociedad's defensive organization led to moments of gridlock. The visitors' ease in retreating allowed for counterattacks that required Thibaut Courtois to make some impressive saves.

Real Madrid's persistence paid off in the closing minutes of the first half, when Mbappé capitalized on a through ball, outpaced his marker, and sent it into the top corner in the 40th minute. However, their effort seemed to wane momentarily after Luka Sucic equalized in the 44th minute, capitalizing on a rebound in the box.

"The first half was difficult for us," Mourinho admitted after the match, while praising the resilience of his players for bouncing back after conceding the goal.

Second-half comeback and victory at the Bernabéu

The break in the locker room served to fine-tune the pressure and ramp up the tempo on the field. "The halftime talk helped us improve a lot of things, Uruguayan midfielder Fede Valverde said in a statement to the club's official television channel.

The second half saw Madrid's best offensive performance. In the 60th minute, Mbappé scored with ease after finishing off a quick give-and-go with Jude Bellingham. Shortly afterward, the English midfielder set up the play that led to the 3-1 goal, winning a 50-50 ball on the end line that allowed Vinícius to tap it into the net in the 68th minute.

Mbappé capped off his great night in the 80th minute by chipping the ball over Alex Remiro following an assist from Vinícius. With this result, the San Sebastián team suffered its second consecutive loss, while the Whites consolidated their perfect record.

At the post-match press conference, Mourinho was full of praise for the French forward: "This guy is incredible. I see him eager to make history at Real Madrid."