By Isaac Darko,Samuel Obour
Copyright yen
Real Madrid wrote their name into Champions League history with a victory over French giants MarseilleKylian Mbappé struck twice from the penalty spot to seal three points in Xabi Alonso’s first European game at the helm of the 15-time championsThe forward also climbed the all-time scoring charts, overtaking Ruud van Nistelrooy to move into sixth place
Real Madrid etched their name into the Champions League record books with a dramatic victory over Marseille in their 2025/26 group stage opener.
The 15-time European champions had to dig deep after Timothy Weah fired the hosts ahead with his first goal for Les Olympiens.
Moments later, Rodrygo was fouled in the box, allowing Kylian Mbappé to calmly slot home from the spot and restore parity.
The match grew even more chaotic when Dani Carvajal was sent off for a headbutt, making it the second consecutive game Madrid had seen red.
In the dying minutes, Mbappé sealed the win, and his 50th goal for the club, by converting a second penalty after Facundo Medina’s handball.
Real Madrid’s 2-1 triumph over Marseille marked their 200th victory in the Champions League, a feat no other club has ever achieved, as per the club’s official website.
The Spanish giants, already the competition’s most successful side with 15 titles, extended their dominance in Europe’s elite tournament.
Their tally puts them well ahead of AC Milan, who sit second with seven European crowns.
Madrid’s most recent triumph came in the 2023/24 season, when they defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Wembley final.
Real Madrid, who were eliminated by Arsenal in last season’s campaign, resume their European venture against Kazakhstan side Kairat on September 30.
Mbappé climbs Champions League scoring charts
Mbappé’s brace lifted his tally to 57 goals in the Champions League at just 26 years old, per UEFA’s website.
The French forward has now surpassed Ruud van Nistelrooy and drawn level with Thomas Müller in sixth place on the all-time scoring chart, achieving the milestone in only 88 appearances.
Mbappe may still be chasing the towering records of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Robert Lewandowski, but he is firmly on track to cement his place among Europe’s greatest scorers.
With just one more strike, the Frenchman will move past Thomas Müller to claim sixth spot outright on the all-time Champions League scoring list.
Mbappé, who has already set a Real Mdrid all-time record, has hit the ground running at Real Madrid, netting six goals in his first five outings of the season.
Since arriving in the Spanish capital, he has amassed an impressive 50 goals in just 64 matches.
Any doubts about a difficult adjustment from Paris Saint-Germain have quickly been put to rest.
Mbappe shows off new hairstyle
YEN.com.gh earlier reported on Kylian Mbappe’s new haircut following his team’s elimination in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup.
The French star had a tough tournament, scoring just once and struggling to make an impact in the crucial defeat to his former team, PSG.
Source: YEN.com.gh
