Mbappé and Vinícius Ignite Real Madrid's Resurgence with a Dominant Six-Goal Performance

The scars remain and there is much to be fixed still but this was a significant step towards reconciliation and something of a statement too. Not just in the goals they scored, but the reaction to them. Nine days after Xabi Alonso’s sacking, six after their captain said they had hit rock bottom with Copa del Rey elimination and three after the protest of a generation, white hankies and whistles greeting the players and even the president, there were songs and support at last as Real Madrid defeated Monaco 6-1. Kylian Mbappé, Franco Mastantuono and Jude Bellingham all scored, while there was also an own goal from Monaco’s Thilo Kehrer. The Englishman celebrated his with a drinking celebration following rumours about his supposed off-field habits and accusations about his part in Alonso’s sacking. He had already referred to that by posting: “Honestly, what a load of shit.” Smiling now, this response was even more pointed, and done from a position of power, at the end of an impressive performance from all of them. More significant still, the man who had been at the very centre of the storm made three of them and smashed in a superb strike of his own. And if Vinícius Júnior, who had stood accused before the game and stood with the MVP trophy at the end of it, wasn’t ready to share the moment with the fans just yet, his first goal here since October was celebrated in the stands and by teammates who came to his side. What a difference from Saturday when the Bernabéu had turned on the players and on him in particular. The moment Vinícius stormed off the pitch and down the tunnel during the clasico had been seen as the beginning of the end for Alonso, who rather than being backed by the club, was left isolated and exposed, lacking in authority. That he carried the blame, the target of the abuse, had hurt: “We have to defend and support Vini,” Mbappé had said the day before and now they did when Vinícius had dribbled through the Monaco defence from left to right and hit a sensational shot into the top corner on 63 minutes. It was the fifth of what had been a fun night – there have been too few of those – and the Bernabéu erupted. Vinícius didn’t go towards them; instead he headed back to the centre circle, where teammates gathered round to embrace him. “It hasn’t been the easiest week.” Mbappé had said. Tuesday night on the other hand was, a first public apology coming early. They hadn’t been playing five minutes when Mastantuono and Fede Valverde teed up Mbappé to sweep in his tenth Champions League goal of the season, 71% of all of those Madrid have scored. As he celebrated, the Frenchman raised his hands in prayer position. Monaco had put up little resistance and that was a recurring theme, even if Folarin Balogun ran through a couple of minutes later to send a shot wide and Ansu Fati skied a shot over the bar from six yards. Just at the moment when it seemed Madrid were losing control they scored the second. It was superbly constructed, too. A lovely pirouette from Eduardo Camavinga found Arda Guler, who turned the ball first time into the run of Vinícius. The Brazilian raced up the right and, with the outside of his boot, played it across for Mbappé to score. That was 11 of Madrid’s 15 now, and he was quick to embrace Vinícius. Still it wasn’t entirely done. Jordan Teze struck the bar and Thibaut Courtois saved from Maghnes Akloiouche. At the other end, Bellingham headed over. Almost as significant, perhaps, were the moments when things went wrong. When Mbappé’s pass fell behind Bellingham, there was encouragement. And although there were some whistles when Vinícius lost the ball trying a turn that made little sense, they were immediately drowned out by applause, support. When he ran out of pitch early in the second half, the reaction was repeated, this time without the whistles. Many fans had concluded that they too could help to mend this. Madrid had started the half well and the third and fourth followed fast. Vinícius played the central role in creating both. First he ran through the middle on to Mbappé’s pass, turned and found Mastantuono to steer in. Then he raced away on the left, and bend the cross towards the six-yard box where Kehrer turned the ball into his own net. Vinícius maintained an unusual and conspicuous low profile, not looking at the stands, but from behind the goal came chants of his name and applause from the rest of the Bernabéu. Soon, it got even louder when Vinícius added the fifth, the Brazilian heading off for the comforting embrace of his teammates. And although Madrid did concede through Teze, a sixth came too, Bellingham raising a smile and a glass.