Real Madrid made it a winning Tuesday night in the southeast of Spain, but the biggest talking point after a breathless 3-2 victory at Elche wasn’t Kylian Mbappé — it was a young Turk with a wand of a left foot stealing the show and the official Man of the Match award to go with it.
What Happened
Madrid travelled to the Estadio Martínez Valero for their third match in the space of a single week, and it was anything but a routine away day. Carlo Ancelotti’s side found themselves locked in a real battle before eventually edging it 3-2, with the decisive blow coming from a last-gasp Carlos Espí winner that sent the travelling Madridistas into raptures.
Mbappé had looked the most likely match-winner for much of the contest. The Frenchman put Los Blancos two goals up before half-time and then delivered the assist for Espí’s late clincher — a goal-and-assist return that would comfortably earn most players the MVP prize on any given night. Not this one, though.
The official Man of the Match accolade went instead to Arda Güler, who opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick and delivered a performance full of the kind of creativity and technical brilliance that has been making heads turn ever since the teenage sensation started forcing his way into Madrid’s plans. According to Madrid Universal, the award was confirmed officially after the final whistle.
What It Means for Real Madrid
This result, and more importantly this performance, tells us quite a bit about where Real Madrid are right now. Grinding out a 3-2 win away from home, coming through a genuinely tight contest with a squad that is clearly being rotated heavily over a congested run of fixtures — that speaks to depth, resilience, and trust in players beyond the established elite.
Güler’s emergence is one of the most exciting storylines of Madrid’s season. The Turkish midfielder was one of the most hyped youngsters in European football when Madrid brought him to the Bernabéu, but injuries and fierce competition for places meant his early months in Madrid didn’t always go to plan. When he gets on the pitch and performs like this — free-kicks, vision, moments of genuine class — it’s a reminder of just how much talent this squad possesses beyond the headliners.
For Mbappé, there’s no real negative here. A goal and an assist, including the pass that sealed three points in the dying moments, is exactly the kind of contribution Real Madrid need from their marquee signing. The fact that a teammate outshone him for one evening is a sign of squad strength rather than any dip in the Frenchman’s form. Mbappé continues to look sharp and increasingly integrated into the Madrid system — a prospect that should excite supporters ahead of the bigger challenges to come in La Liga and in Europe.
The win also underlines Madrid’s ability to close out tight games on the road. A 3-2 scoreline is never comfortable, but the fact that they found a winner deep in the match — rather than settling for a draw or conceding late — shows character and belief running through the squad.
What’s Next
With three games played in a single week, the priority now will be recovery. Madrid’s schedule remains relentless as La Liga settles into its rhythm, and Ancelotti will need to keep managing minutes carefully across a squad that has plenty of quality to call upon. If Güler keeps producing moments like that free-kick, though, he’s going to be very difficult to leave out — and for Real Madrid fans, having that kind of selection headache is a very good problem to have.
Nights like this at Elche are exactly the kind of results that title challenges are built on. Three points, multiple contributors, and a young star announcing himself once again. The Bernabéu will be buzzing.
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For official club updates, visit Real Madrid’s official website.
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