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Real Madrid's star players shone brightest in a commanding 4–0 win over Málaga, though their record-shattering summer acquisition found himself largely on the periphery of the celebrations at the Bernabéu.
The 15-time European champions entered the fixture on the back of consecutive victories under the returning José Mourinho, and wasted no time getting back to business on Sunday. Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, capping another dynamic forward run with a composed right-footed finish from a difficult angle.
The England international then pressured Málaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrera into a mistake, with the keeper credited with an own goal just seven minutes later. Kylian Mbappé followed by burying a stunning volley, teed up by Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 30th minute.
Rounding out the scoring, Vinícius Júnior set up Arda Güler's 92nd-minute strike to wrap up all three points for Real Madrid. It was a day of celebration, yet one significant talking point loomed large inside the Bernabéu.
Bellingham Is Finally Free
Last season, Bellingham acknowledged that he sometimes becomes a "victim" of his own adaptability. Across his first three campaigns at Real Madrid, the England international has featured as a false nine, a No. 10, a left midfielder, a central midfielder, and even a makeshift fullback.
Former managers deployed Bellingham to plug holes in an injury-ravaged squad with little consideration for how much more effective both the team and the midfielder were when he operated in his natural No. 10 role. Mourinho, however, appears unwilling to repeat those same errors.
The Portuguese manager has granted Bellingham total freedom in the advanced areas, letting the 23-year-old drift wherever necessary to either create or finish chances. He is finally occupying the right spaces to make incisive forward runs and attack the box after two seasons in a deeper role — and the results speak for themselves.
Los Blancos have netted 10 goals this season, and Bellingham has had a hand in five of them. He found the net against Espanyol, registered two assists against Real Sociedad, and scored again on Sunday against Málaga. He also engineered the own goal that doubled Real Madrid's advantage and struck the post in the second half.
The last time Bellingham was afforded complete creative freedom, the Spanish giants swept La Liga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup. Mourinho appears to have taken note, and his side is now hitting its stride.
Alexander-Arnold Leaves His Mark
It has been a rather surprising start to the campaign for Alexander-Arnold. The England international was passed over by Mourinho in the club's opening two fixtures, playing second fiddle to new arrival Denzel Dumfries.
Last summer's headline signing was finally back to full fitness, yet he managed just 10 minutes against Espanyol and didn't feature at all against Real Sociedad. Alexander-Arnold earned his starting spot on Sunday, however, and wasted no time reminding Mourinho of his quality.
The former Liverpool man showcased his attacking prowess throughout the match, surging down the right flank to deliver largely precise service into the box. A trademark cross to Mbappé made it 3–0, earning Alexander-Arnold his first assist of the season.
By the final whistle, the 27-year-old had created three chances — just one fewer than Vinícius Jr's four, which topped all players at the Bernabéu.
Perhaps equally impressive were his defensive contributions. Málaga were admittedly not the most threatening opposition, but they did create some decent transition opportunities that Alexander-Arnold snuffed out before his defensive teammates could even react. At one point in the first half, he tracked all the way across to the left flank to shut down a counter-attack, drawing thunderous applause from the home crowd.
Alexander-Arnold's role in the squad will remain a compelling subplot as the season unfolds, but having two high-quality right-back options is a luxury Real Madrid will gladly embrace after two seasons of persistent problems on that flank.
The Yan Diomande Question
When Real Madrid secured Yan Diomande in a record-smashing deal worth $161.6 million (€140 million), it appeared inevitable that the teenager would slot in as the new right winger. Yet he has started all three matches on the bench, losing out to Arda Güler and Brahim Díaz.
Holding back such a young player away at Espanyol made reasonable sense, particularly given that Diomande had only one preseason outing under his belt. He clocked 26 minutes in Catalonia that evening and played a role in the build-up to Los Blancos' late winner.
Four days on, Diomande featured for just six minutes in Real Madrid's demolition of Real Sociedad. Then, on a day when Mourinho made five changes to his starting lineup, the 19-year-old was still confined to the bench.
A home fixture against newly promoted Málaga offered the ideal platform for Mourinho to assess what an attack combining Mbappé, Vinícius Jr, Bellingham, and Diomande could look like, while also giving the winger a chance to settle into his new surroundings in a low-pressure environment.
Instead, Diomande was handed just 25 minutes. In that brief cameo, the former RB Leipzig forward misplaced only one pass and created one chance. The statistics are modest, though in typical Real Madrid fashion, the team flooded the left flank in the closing stages, leaving Diomande with limited opportunities to make his presence felt.
Fan frustration is mounting over the lack of a genuine opportunity for the high-profile signing, but Mourinho is evidently taking a measured approach with the young talent.