Mbappe double helps Real Madrid defeat Sevilla and cut Barcelona’s lead

Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 4-1 at the Bernabeu to claim an eighth consecutive LaLiga home victory and reduce Barcelona’s lead at the top of the table to six points.

Real Madrid returned to domestic action after their dramatic 4-3 UEFA Champions League comeback win over Roma. Jose Mourinho’s side had to respond to another Barcelona victory on Saturday, with the Catalan club continuing to set the pace in the title race.

The hosts went ahead after 30 minutes through Arda Guler. Jude Bellingham switched play to Yan Diomande, who found the Turkish midfielder on the other side of the pitch. Guler then produced an outstanding looping finish over Sevilla goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Vlachodimos denied Mbappe a second goal for Real Madrid soon afterwards, stretching out a leg to block the French forward’s effort. However, Mbappe was on target seven minutes after Guler’s opener.

Bellingham created the goal with an exquisite backheel into Mbappe’s path. The forward gathered the ball with a fine piece of footwork before making his way into the area and finishing from close range.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had little to do during the opening half, but he was required to make an excellent one-handed save in stoppage time to keep out a strike from Lucien Agoume.

Sevilla showed some attacking intent after the interval when Felix Correia’s long-range effort took a deflection and went over the crossbar. Real Madrid then extended their advantage from the penalty spot.

Diomande played the ball through to Mbappe, whose heels were clipped by Castrin inside the area. Referee Mateo Busquets awarded the penalty and Mbappe sent Vlachodimos the wrong way with a composed panenka.

Courtois was tested again when Youssouf Fofana, who is on loan from AC Milan, struck from just outside the box. The goalkeeper reacted well to parry the attempt away.

Sevilla refused to surrender and were rewarded for their pressure when Manuel Bueno took advantage of uncertain Real Madrid defending. He cut the deficit with a clinical left-footed finish, briefly raising hopes of a comeback.

Those hopes lasted only two minutes. Diomande completed another impressive performance by restoring Real Madrid’s three-goal advantage with a powerful strike.

The result gives Jose Mourinho’s team six wins in their past seven matches in all competitions, with their only defeat coming in that sequence being one loss. It also moves Real Madrid above Real Betis into third place ahead of next week’s El Clasico against Barcelona.

Sevilla remain sixth after a third league defeat of the season. They are now without a win in their past 16 LaLiga meetings with Real Madrid, recording two draws and 14 defeats.

Arda Guler was named Flashscore’s Man of the Match.