Key Takeaways:
- Real Madrid secured a commanding 6:1 victory over Monaco in the 7th round of the Champions League last night
- Kylian Mbappé struck early, netting twice in the 5th and 26th minutes, while Vinícius Júnior contributed three assists and added a goal
- Real Madrid climbed to 2nd place with 15 points, while Monaco remained 20th on 9 points
Match Overview
Real Madrid delivered a scintillating performance on home soil, dismantling Monaco 6:1 in the 7th Champions League round. Dubbed one of their finest displays of the season, “Los Blancos” attacked with fluidity and were ruthlessly efficient in front of goal, with several missed opportunities hinting that the scoreline could have been even more emphatic.
🏁 FT: @RealMadridEN 6-1 @AS_Monaco_EN
⚽ 5' @KMbappe
⚽ 26' @KMbappe
⚽ 51' Mastantuono
⚽ 55' Kehrer (OG)
⚽ 63' @vinijr
⚽ 72' Teze
⚽ 80' @BellinghamJude pic.twitter.com/HaVS1yEfKA— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 20, 2026
Key Events and Goal Timeline
Kylian Mbappé wasted no time imposing himself, netting the opener in the 5th minute following a sharp exchange involving Franco Mastantuono and Federico Valverde. He followed up with a second on 26 minutes, converting a Vinícius Júnior delivery after a move instigated by Arda Güler.
Franco Mastantuono added a third in the 51st minute, capitalising on precise play from Vinícius Júnior. The fourth arrived in the 55th minute when Thilo Kehrer inadvertently slotted into his own net under pressure. Vinícius Júnior then capped his electric showing with a thunderous strike in the 63rd minute.
Monaco managed a reply in the 73rd minute through Jordan Teze, who pounced on a defensive error to score. Jude Bellingham restored the five-goal advantage in the 80th minute, completing the 6:1 victory after being played in by Fede Valverde.
| Minute | Scoreline | Goal scorer |
|---|---|---|
| 5′ | 1-0 | Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) |
| 26′ | 2-0 | Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) |
| 51′ | 3-0 | Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid) |
| 55′ | 4-0 | Thilo Kehrer (own goal) (Monaco) |
| 63′ | 5-0 | Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) |
| 72′ | 5-1 | Jordan Teze (Monaco) |
| 80′ | 6-1 | Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) |
Tactics and Starting Line-ups
Álvaro Arbeloa fielded an attacking trio composed of Franco Mastantuono, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior for Real Madrid. The midfield hub featured Arda Güler, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Jude Bellingham.
For Monaco, Sebastien Pocognoli placed Folarin Balogun at the apex of the attack, supported by Ansu Fati, Aleksandr Golovin, and Manes Akliouche in advanced roles. Denis Zakaria and Jordan Teze anchored the midfield.
Match Analysis
Real Madrid struck with intent from their very first foray, as Mastantuono advanced on the right and supplied Federico Valverde, whose assist found Mbappé for a clinical finish. The hosts maintained pressure through varied attacks, nearly extending their early advantage through Vinícius Júnior’s driven effort in the 6th minute.
Monaco’s best early opportunity came in the 8th minute when Folarin Balogun broke behind the defence but was harried into firing tamely. Moments later, Real again pressed forward, with efforts from Mastantuono and Aurélien Tchouaméni missing the target in the 10th and 15th minutes, respectively.
The visitors squandered another golden chance in the 19th minute, as Ansu Fati failed to convert from close range after a piercing cross by Caio. Monaco’s misfortune continued seconds later when Eric Dier’s attempted clearance nearly became an own goal, but keeper Philipp Köhn intervened.
The hosts’ attacking dynamism eventually told, as Mbappé doubled the advantage from Vinícius Júnior’s incisive wing play in the 26th minute. The Monegasques responded, striking the crossbar through Jordan Teze in the 31st minute, but Real’s dominance persisted as Vinícius forced a save after engineering space in the area.
Before the interval, Monaco’s Folarin Balogun shot weakly after a Tchouaméni error, while Jude Bellingham failed to direct a near-post header on target from Mastantuono’s cross in stoppage time.
Second-Half Surge
After the break, Vinícius Júnior maintained his influence, orchestrating Mastantuono’s finish for 3:0, before a Kehrer own goal further widened the deficit. Vinícius stepped up with a direct goal of his own in the 63rd minute, dispatching an unstoppable finish after a deft feint.
Arda Güler went close with a powerful shot, before Monaco’s Akliouche spurned their next chance. The visitors did find some reward in the 72nd minute through Teze, exploiting a defensive lapse by Dani Ceballos. Ilenikhena came near to adding a second for the Monegasques in the 78th minute.
Any faint hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Bellingham capitalised on another error from the Monaco back line, slotting home Valverde’s through ball for Real’s sixth in the 81st minute. Vinícius, ever-dangerous, saw another attempt thwarted in the final minute as a recovering defender blocked his shot at the last possible moment.
Current Standings and Implications
With this result, Real Madrid moved up to 2nd in the standings with 15 points. Monaco, meanwhile, remained stuck in 20th position, holding 9 points after this heavy defeat.
