Real Madrid secures a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappe dazzling despite playing an hour with 10 men after Dean Huijsen’s red card, propelling Xabi Alonso’s side to the top of the table with 12 points from four games.

Mbappe opened the scoring in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a loose back-pass to beat two defenders with pace and finish clinically, marking his fourth league goal this season. Huijsen’s dismissal for pulling down Mikel Oyarzabal, a call Alonso contested as a yellow-card offense, shifted the game’s dynamics. Yet, Mbappe’s brilliance continued as he set up Arda Guler for a second-half goal before Oyarzabal’s penalty pulled one back.

“The red card changed the game a bit but we weren’t afraid, we scored the second... we suffered as a team, but we go home with the three points,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV, adding a cautious note about the long season ahead.

The win ensures Madrid leads alone, three points clear of Athletic Bilbao, who stumbled 1-0 to Alaves after an own goal by Alejandro Berenguer ended their perfect start. Atletico Madrid also notched their first victory, beating Villarreal 2-0 with goals from Pablo Barrios and Nico Gonzalez, though injuries to Julian Alvarez, Robin Le Normand, and David Hancko raise concerns before their Champions League clash with Liverpool.

Diego Simeone praised the team’s resilience, while captain Koke credited the fans’ support. This weekend’s results, set against the backdrop of Spain’s competitive La Liga season, highlight the intensity driving the league’s early leaders.