Mbappe double helps Real Madrid cruise past Valencia to tighten LaLiga grip

MADRID :Kylian Mbappe netted twice as Real Madrid eased to a 4-0 victory over struggling Valencia on Saturday, with Jude Bellingham and Alvaro Carreras also scoring to help the LaLiga leaders claim their 13th win from 14 matches in all competitions this season.

The victory extended Real's commanding lead at the top of the standings to 30 points, putting them seven points clear of second-placed Villarreal and eight ahead of third-placed Barcelona, who sit level with Atletico Madrid on 22 points but have a game in hand.

Valencia, 18th in LaLiga with nine points, have failed to win any of their last six league matches and are already in a fight to avoid relegation.

Mbappe gave the home side a two-goal lead with goals in the 19th and 31st minutes, first converting a penalty that was awarded for a handball by Cesar Tarrega and, 12 minutes later, firing home a volley from close range.

In the 44th minute, right after Valencia keeper Julen Agirrezabala denied Vinicius Jr from the penalty spot, Bellingham struck a sublime low shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner to make it 3-0, while Carreras unleashed an unstoppable angled shot in the 82nd to wrap up the thrashing.

Real took control from the start, with Mbappe and Federico Valverde narrowly missing early chances, while Vinicius Jr and Bellingham had powerful efforts denied by Agirrezabala.

The breakthrough came in the 19th minute when a VAR review confirmed a handball by Tarrega, allowing Mbappe to step up and calmly convert the resulting penalty.

Twelve minutes later, Mbappe doubled his tally, finishing a well-worked move with a close-range volley. Bellingham played a perfect through ball to Arda Guler, who delivered a pinpoint cross to the Frenchman at the far post.