Kylian Mbappe matches unwanted career record as Real Madrid goal struggles continue

Real Madrid secured their first win of the La Liga season as Carlo Ancelotti's side strolled to a dominant 3-0 home victory against Real Valladolid.

Los Blancos are unbeaten in the opening two games of their league title defence with a campaign-starting 1-1 draw at Mallorca last weekend.

Second-half goals from Federico Valverde, Brahim Diaz, and a first club goal for Endrick Felipe, secured victory over Valladolid but the main post-match talking point focused on Ancelotti's subdued attack led by Kylian Mbappe .

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Mbappe's summer arrival in Madrid has caused waves in the Spanish capital and he scored on his club debut in the 2-0 UEFA Super Cup final win over Atalanta.

However, his league start has been less eye-catching, with two shots on target failing to yield a goal at Mallorca, and three against Valladolid.

Ancelotti will maintain his trademark calm over Mbappe's start but it marks the repeat of a record the French international did not want in his early days at the club.

Mbappe's burst into the AS Monaco team midway through the 2015/16 season saw him break Thierry Henry's record as the club's youngest Ligue 1 appearance maker and his subsequent goal record.

As a first team regular, in 2016/17, he scored in both of his first two league starts, albeit spread from August to October. and he scored in one of his first two league starts as a PSG player in 2017/18.

In 2018/19 and 2019/20, he scored at least once in the opening two league outings, before injury saw him miss the start of 2020/21, with 2021/22 the only previous time he failed to find the net in the opening two rounds of a league season.

That has now been matched in Madrid, and Mbappe has not failed to score in his first three starting league appearances in a season in his career, as all eyes turn to Real Madrid's trip to Las Palmas on August 29.