Real Madrid Dominates Las Palmas 4-1 to Return to La Liga Summit

Real Madrid marked their return to the top of La Liga with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Las Palmas at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday (19 January), bouncing back from an early shock to deliver a performance full of intensity and flair.

The match had an explosive start, with Las Palmas stunning the home crowd by scoring just 27 seconds into the game. Fabio Silva capitalized on a perfect pass from Sandro Ramírez to slot past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, putting the visitors in front and leaving the Bernabéu in disbelief.

However, Real Madrid wasted no time in regrouping. Brahim Díaz came agonizingly close to equalizing in the second minute, but his shot rolled just wide of the post. Kylian Mbappé also tested Las Palmas’ goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen shortly after, but the Dutchman was up to the task.

The breakthrough for Madrid came in the 17th minute when Rodrygo was fouled in the box, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Mbappé stepped up confidently to level the score, restoring equilibrium to the game. From that moment on, Madrid took control, relentlessly pushing Las Palmas into their own half.

Their dominance paid off in the 33rd minute when Díaz made no mistake, tapping home Lucas Vázquez’s cutback after Cillessen had parried Mbappé’s initial shot. Just three minutes later, Mbappé delivered a moment of magic, collecting a pass from Rodrygo and rifling a stunning shot into the top corner to give Madrid the lead.

Though Mbappé thought he had completed his hat-trick before halftime, VAR ruled out his third goal for a marginal offside. The second half began with Jude Bellingham nearly adding to Madrid’s tally, but his effort hit the side netting after rounding Cillessen.

Madrid’s fourth goal came in the 57th minute when Rodrygo slotted in from close range, sealing the victory. Las Palmas’ misery was compounded when Benito Ramírez was shown a red card after a high boot caught Vázquez, with VAR confirming the sending-off.

Madrid continued to press for more goals, but VAR ruled out two additional efforts for offside. Nonetheless, the biggest moment of the match came in the final stages when David Alaba made his long-awaited return from injury, coming off the bench to make his first appearance since his layoff.

Despite the early scare, Madrid’s quality shone through, securing their third consecutive league win and sending a message that they are firmly back in the race for silverware. With Mbappé in superb form and key players returning to full fitness, Los Blancos are looking forward to their upcoming UEFA Champions League clash against RB Salzburg on Wednesday (22 January).