Vinicius and Mbappe penalties give Real Madrid win over Sociedad
Vinicius Junior scored Kylian Mbappe Two second-half penalties gave holders Real Madrid a hard-fought 2-0 win at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.
According to the global network “Opta”, which specializes in statistics, Real Madrid became the third team to score 4 goals from penalty kicks after its first 5 matches in the Spanish League in the 21st century, after Rayo Vallecano in the 2002-2003 season and Atletico Madrid in the 2012-2013 season.
But this event came to open a discussion that perhaps began with the signing of French star Kylian Mbappe in light of the presence of Brazilian jewel Vinicius Junior, about the identity of the specialist in taking penalty kicks that the royal team gets, especially with the rich record of both players in the ability to take them.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti had settled the debate somewhat on this point, when he was asked late last month who was responsible for scoring from 12 yards out.
There is no doubt that both Mbappe and Vinicius like to take penalties, which is what the Brazilian did in the Canary Islands during the Las Palmas match when he took a penalty kick that Real Madrid were awarded and scored it successfully.
But Ancelotti clarified two days later: “It is right to give responsibility to both Mbappé and Vinicius, so I prefer that they make the decision because I trust them a lot. It will depend on their performance in the match and what each of them needs.”
This seems to be what happened in the last Real Sociedad match, when the Brazilian took the first kick and succeeded in scoring it, followed by the Frenchman in the second kick, which Vinicius himself got.
Prior to yesterday’s match, Vinicius had scored five consecutive penalties, and his only miss as a professional came in a friendly with Brazil against Chile when he was still a teenager in 2018.
Mbappe had a role with Paris Saint-Germain, but he missed two of his last four penalties with the French club.
And in 2023/24 seasonFive Real Madrid players took penalties, with Joselu and Vinicius taking three, with the Spaniard missing two and scoring one while the Brazilian netted all three.
Jude Bellingham also scored his only attempt, while Rodrygo Goes and Luka Modric missed their only kicks.
With his two goals against Real Sociedad, Kylian Mbappe raised his tally to 3 goals in the Spanish League’s top scorers list, behind Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, while Vinicius Junior now has two goals.
Real Madrid remain second but now have 11 points, one behind Barcelona who visit fifth-placed Girona on Sunday.
Real now have to mobilise their players just three days before their opening Champions League match at home to Stuttgart on Tuesday.
