Real Madrid delivered a masterclass at the Santiago Bernabéu on January 20, sending a powerful message to doubters with a thumping 6-1 victory over Monaco. Real Madrid silenced the doubters with a statement 6-1 victory over AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League. After facing crowd frustration during their previous La Liga match, Álvaro Arbeloa's side secured their first Champions League win under the new manager, completely flipping the narrative around their recent struggles.
The goals came in waves from start to finish. Kylian Mbappé got the show started with a quickfire double in the first half, finishing first time from a Federico Valverde lay-off before tapping home from a Vinicius cross. The early dominance set the tone for what would become an absolute rout at home. Franco Mastantuono became the third-youngest player to score for Real Madrid in the Champions League at 18 years and 159 days, with only Endrick and Raul having netted at a younger age. The youngster's composure in such a huge moment shows just how talented Madrid's attack truly is.
Vinicius Junior turned whistles into cheers, setting up three of Real Madrid's goals and burying one of his own in a redemptive performance after being booed by home fans just days earlier. An own goal from Thilo Kehrer added to Monaco's misery, and Jude Bellingham capped the victory by rounding the goalkeeper to complete the scoring party.
Madrid climbed to second in the 36-team standings, putting themselves in a great position for a top seeding in the last 16, while Monaco's playoff hopes took a serious hit. The win marks a crucial turning point for Arbeloa's tenure, transforming recent disappointment into genuine confidence and giving the Bernabéu faithful something to celebrate once again.