Story perspectives

Real Madrid beats Elche 3-2 as Mbappé strikes twice

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 2:44 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Real Madrid beat Elche 3-2 with a winner by Carlos Espi after a Kylian Mbappé cross.
Mbappé scored the second and fourth goals, giving Real a 2-0 lead.
José Mourinho rested Jude Bellingham, omitted Bernardo Silva, and started Arda Güler.
Güler’s free-kick hit goalkeeper Matías Dituro, who turned it into an own goal.
The win raised Real Madrid to 15 points, level with Barcelona, while Elche stayed bottom with two.

History

Historical Context

In the 2002 UEFA Champions League final, Real Madrid defeated Bayer Leverkusen 2–1 on 15 May, securing their ninth European crown. Zidane’s iconic volley contributed the decisive goal, while Ronaldo added a brace, and the match drew 73,000 spectators at Hampden Park. Similarly, today Real Madrid rallied against Elche, with Mbappé’s cross enabling Espi’s winner and Mourinho’s rotation echoing past tactical adjustments. The victory narrows the La Liga gap to Barcelona, reviving the club’s historic title-chasing momentum and pressuring rivals to respond.

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Story summary

Real Madrid beat Elche 3-2 with a winner by Carlos Espi after a Kylian Mbappé cross.
Mbappé scored the second and fourth goals, giving Real a 2-0 lead.
José Mourinho rested Jude Bellingham, omitted Bernardo Silva, and started Arda Güler.
Güler’s free-kick hit goalkeeper Matías Dituro, who turned it into an own goal.
The win raised Real Madrid to 15 points, level with Barcelona, while Elche stayed bottom with two.

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