Real Madrid produced one of their most complete performances of the season as they defeated Real Sociedad in an entertaining and high-intensity night at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Los Blancos lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Trent Alexander-Arnold making the start, while Kylian Mbappé began the match on the bench and Jude Bellingham was unavailable for the squad. Real Sociedad arrived with a 4-4-1-1 setup, hoping to challenge Madrid early with an aggressive approach.
The visitors started brightly and immediately showed attacking intent. An early free kick from Mikel Oyarzabal narrowly missed the post after Camavinga conceded a foul just outside the box, serving as an early warning for the home side.
Despite Sociedad’s energetic opening, Real Madrid quickly found their rhythm and took full control of possession in midfield.
The breakthrough came in the 5th minute through Gonzalo García after an excellent attacking move. Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a precise pass into the penalty area, and Gonzalo calmly controlled the ball before finishing into the bottom-left corner.
The Bernabéu erupted as Real Madrid took an early lead, with Trent immediately making his presence felt through his vision and passing quality.
Following the opening goal, Real Madrid completely dominated possession while Sociedad struggled to recover the ball. Madrid’s defensive organization also looked extremely solid, reacting quickly whenever the visitors attempted to attack.
As the first half progressed, Sociedad gradually increased their intensity and began creating more pressure in midfield.
The match became more dramatic in the 20th minute when Real Sociedad were awarded a penalty after Huijsen brought down Herrera inside the box. The defender also received a yellow card for the challenge.
Mikel Oyarzabal stepped up confidently and converted the penalty to equalize for the visitors, increasing the tension inside the stadium.
Real Madrid responded almost immediately.
Only a few minutes later, Vinicius Jr. won a penalty after being brought down inside the Sociedad area by Aramburu. The Brazilian stepped up himself and calmly restored Madrid’s lead with a composed finish into the bottom-right corner.
The game continued at an explosive pace, with two penalties scored within five minutes.
Real Madrid then extended their advantage in the 31st minute through Federico Valverde. Álvaro Carreras showed excellent awareness to find the Uruguayan midfielder, who finished brilliantly to score his first La Liga goal of the season.
Madrid looked completely in control during the remainder of the first half. Their chemistry, movement, and passing combinations frustrated Sociedad, while Trent Alexander-Arnold continued delivering impressive passes from deep positions.
Sociedad still threatened from set pieces, with Oyarzabal creating another dangerous moment before halftime, but Courtois remained composed in goal.
Four minutes of added time were awarded at the end of an intense and entertaining first half, with Gonzalo García nearly adding another goal before the break.
The second half started in dramatic fashion once again.
Only one minute after the restart, Vinicius Jr. produced brilliant skill inside the penalty area before being brought down for another Real Madrid penalty.
The Brazilian once again stepped up and converted confidently, placing his shot perfectly into the bottom-left corner despite the goalkeeper diving the correct way.
Real Sociedad attempted to respond by increasing their attacking pressure, but Real Madrid remained dangerous every time they moved forward.
Several Real Madrid substitutes, including Dani Carvajal, Brahim Díaz, David Alaba, and Franco Mastantuono, began warming up shortly after the hour mark.
Carvajal and Alaba were eventually introduced to a huge ovation from the Bernabéu crowd, with Carvajal receiving a particularly emotional welcome on his return.
Trent Alexander-Arnold left the field after an outstanding performance, having played a major role in Madrid’s attacking dominance throughout the night.
Real Sociedad continued fighting and nearly found another goal in the 61st minute when an unmarked header somehow fell directly into Courtois’ hands.
Real Madrid, however, kept creating opportunities with confidence and intensity. Vinicius Jr. looked eager to complete his hat-trick, although at times he held onto the ball slightly too long searching for another goal.
Carlo Ancelotti continued rotating the squad during the second half, introducing Brahim Díaz, Dani Ceballos, and young debutant Jorge Cestero.
Late in the match, Real Sociedad thought they had scored again, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Real Madrid also had a late goal disallowed in the final minutes.
After two minutes of added time, the match ended with a deserved victory for Real Madrid following a dominant attacking display.
Vinicius Jr. and Gonzalo García were among the standout performers of the night, while Trent Alexander-Arnold impressed heavily on his Bernabéu appearance with his passing range and control. Overall, Real Madrid looked sharp, confident, and fully in control throughout most of the contest.