Real Madrid returned to Champions League action at the Santiago Bernabéu in spectacular fashion, securing a commanding 6–1 victory over Monaco in a night filled with goals, attacking brilliance, and standout individual performances.
The match also marked an important milestone for Álvaro Arbeloa, who experienced his first Champions League night as Real Madrid head coach after previously competing in the competition as a player for the club.
Real Madrid lined up in a 4-3-3 formation featuring Kylian Mbappé, Arda Güler, and rising star Franco Mastantuono in attack. Federico Valverde captained the side, while Monaco arrived with a 4-2-3-1 system led by captain Denis Zakaria. Former Barcelona player Ansu Fati also started for the visitors.
The night could not have started better for Real Madrid.
Only five minutes into the match, Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring against his former Ligue 1 rivals. Valverde delivered an excellent pass toward the edge of the box, and Mbappé finished confidently into the middle of the net to give Madrid an early advantage.
As the first half continued, both teams enjoyed relatively balanced possession, but Real Madrid consistently looked more dangerous going forward. Monaco struggled at times to break through Madrid’s organized defense, while Los Blancos repeatedly found spaces in the attacking third.
Mbappé briefly worried the Bernabéu crowd in the 15th minute after going down injured, although the issue fortunately appeared minor and he was able to continue.
Real Madrid continued pressing and nearly added another goal from a corner opportunity around the 20th minute after Mastantuono was fouled near the edge of the box.
Federico Valverde delivered another outstanding performance throughout the half, producing several important defensive recoveries and stopping multiple Monaco attacks before they became dangerous.
The second goal finally arrived in the 26th minute. Vinicius Jr. created the opportunity with an excellent assist, allowing Mbappé to score his second goal of the night and double Madrid’s lead.
Monaco’s frustration began to show as captain Denis Zakaria received the game’s first yellow card in the 33rd minute after bringing down Mastantuono during a dangerous counterattack.
The visitors nearly pulled one back before halftime after a defensive mistake from Tchouaméni, who was facing his former club. Ansu Fati found Balogun inside the box, but Courtois produced an important save to maintain Madrid’s clean sheet.
Jude Bellingham received Real Madrid’s first yellow card shortly before halftime as the hosts entered the break leading 2–0.
The second half began with Real Madrid immediately continuing their attacking dominance.
One of the first changes of the night came in the 46th minute when Asencio was replaced by Dani Ceballos.
Just five minutes later, Franco Mastantuono scored Madrid’s third goal following another excellent assist from Vinicius Jr., who continued creating danger throughout the match.
Real Madrid’s fourth goal arrived only minutes later in dramatic fashion when Monaco defender Thilo Kehrer accidentally turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Madrid’s attack.
At 5–0, the Bernabéu crowd was fully enjoying the night.
Vinicius Jr., after already registering two assists, finally got his own goal in the 63rd minute to cap off another outstanding performance. The Brazilian celebrated by high-fiving Arbeloa on the touchline as the stadium erupted.
Franco Mastantuono later left the field to a standing ovation in the 69th minute after an impressive display that showcased his confidence and creativity.
Monaco eventually managed to score a consolation goal in the 72nd minute through Jordan Teze, briefly silencing the crowd.
Real Madrid, however, responded once again. In the 80th minute, Jude Bellingham added Madrid’s sixth goal following another assist from Federico Valverde, who had been exceptional throughout the entire match.
Both teams made several late substitutions as the final minutes played out, with the result already decided.
After three minutes of added time, the match ended with a dominant 6–1 victory for Real Madrid.
The night highlighted Real Madrid’s attacking depth and creativity, with Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., Valverde, and Mastantuono all delivering standout performances. For Arbeloa, it was the perfect beginning to his Champions League journey as Real Madrid manager, while Monaco were left struggling to contain Madrid’s relentless attacking quality throughout the night.