Real Madrid are two for two so far in La Liga and will try to make it three for three when they host promoted Malaga on Sunday afternoon. They should probably manage that, and the game’s best bet may lie with backing a certain Frenchman to be among the goalscorers.
- Starts: Saturday,30 August, 16:00
- Venue: Santiago Bernabéu
- TV Channel: Premier Sports
Betting Tip: Kylian to Go for the Kill With Two Goals
Jose Mourinho may have started his second spell at Real Madrid with a win last weekend, but they were certainly made to work hard for their 2-1 win at Espanyol and can thank youngster Carlos Espi for popping up with a late winner.
Things were far more convincing in midweek with a 4-1 win against Real Sociedad, where two familiar names were on the scoresheet: Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick, and Vinicius scored the other.
- Bet: Back Kylian Mbappe to score two or more goals
- Odds: 2.50 (at the time of writing)
Mourinho couldn’t have asked for an easier game (on paper) than this one: not only are Malaga a promoted side, but it’s their first season in La Liga in nine years, and they were quickly reminded of the challenge ahead of them when they lost 2-0 at Atletico Madrid on the opening day of the season.
This could be a heavy win for Real, but rather than predicting the score, it may just be easier and more profitable to go with Kylian Mbappe to strike again. Not once but twice (or more).
Consider this: sixteen times last season, across 60 games, he scored 2, 3 or 4 goals in the same match, including in four games at the World Cup for France. He’s fresh from a hat-trick, and 2.5 is pretty decent, so he can score at least two again against a promoted side.
Did You Know?
A few years ago, Malaga were one of the dominant forces in Spanish football and even won the Intertoto Cup in 2002, in addition to making the quarter-finals of the Champions League. But relegation to the Segunda Division in 2017-18 hit them badly. Not only did they spend nine years outside the top league, but back in 2023-24 they were playing in the third division! But back-to-back promotions finally saw them return to La Liga for the 2026-7 season.
Fun Fact: The last time these two played each other was in April 2018, when Real Madrid won 2-1, with Isco and Casemiro scoring for Real. It’s a sign of how long ago it was that none of the 18 players in Real’s squad that day are still at the club.
