Superstar signing draws blank at Bernabeu while Brazilian teenager makes instant impact in 3-0 La Liga win over Valladolid
It was supposed to be Kylian Mbappe’s big day at the Bernabeu as the superstar striker made his home bow but it was Brazilian teenager Endrick who stole the show in Real Madrid’s 3-0 La Liga win over Valladolid.
Mbappe scored in Madrid’s Uefa Super Cup win over Atalanta at the start of the season but has yet to find the net in the first two league matches after drawing a blank in last week’s season-opening 1-1 draw at Mallorca.
Without the injured Jude Bellingham, Madrid created little in the first half but did enough after the break to earn their first win of the season as Carlo Ancelotti’s side remain two points behind rivals Barcelona, who beat Athletic Club 2-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski.
The reigning champions were left frustrated by a dogged Valladolid defence and Real did not open the scoring until the 50th minute when midfielder Fede Valverde smashed home a powerful low free-kick with the aid of a deflection.
Mbappe, a summer arrival from Paris Saint-Germain, blew a golden opportunity to get off the mark when Vinicius Junior cut the ball across to him, but Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein saved well.
The France captain had another chance on the counter-attack but fired wide before being replaced by 18-year-old forward Endrick in the 86th minute.
It was another substitute in Brahim Diaz who made it 2-0 moments later when he collected a long ball from Eder Militao before dinking it over Valladolid goalkeeper Karl Hein. And Endrick then added gloss to the scoreline by scoring deep in stoppage time with a well-hit strike inside the near post.
The goal made Endrick the youngest foreign player to score for Madrid in the Spanish league at 18 years, 35 days, surpassing French defender Raphael Varane, who was 18 years, 152 days when he scored in 2011.
“He’s looking very good and he has a lot of potential,” Madrid coach Ancelotti said of Endrick. “He has shown his quality very quickly with his control and he’s got a very powerful shot. He’s a centre forward and very dangerous in tight spaces.”
Endrick was only 16 when he was sold to Madrid by Brazilian club Palmeiras for more than €40 million, plus add-ons, in 2022. He stayed with Palmeiras until arriving at Madrid for this season after turning 18.
Madrid had already done similar deals for Vinicius and Rodrygo, who are now regular starters with last season’s Champions league winners.
“He deserves it,” Valverde said of Endrick, who was an unused substitute in the team’s first two matches this season, against Atalanta in the Uefa Super Cup and at Mallorca. “He has to keep working, he still has a long way to go with this club, he should keep working hard because he deserves it.”
As for Mbappe, his next chance to open his La Liga account will come at Las Palmas on Thursday night. “He’s a spectacular forward, very fast, moves well without the ball, attacks in behind, he had three or four chances [which were] created with his movement,” added Ancelotti.
“In this position, he will score like he always scores, I don’t think he needs to play from the left, in the centre in the end he will score goals.”
Elsewhere, Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente and Koke’s strikes helped Diego Simeone’s Atletico claim their first win of the campaign against last season’s surprise packages Girona.
Julian Alvarez started for the Rojiblancos at their Metropolitano Stadium while new arrival Conor Gallagher made his debut as a substitute after completing his move from Chelsea last week.
“The fans were really excited for this one, playing at home for the first time in some time, with new signings – a perfect night, lets keep it going,” said Griezmann.
“I was waiting to see where the keeper was standing and I saw that there was a little gap at the far post and with a bit of luck it went in.”