Kylian Mbappé is closing in on history with Real Madrid. After scoring twice against Talavera, the French forward is now just one goal away from matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for goals scored by a Real Madrid player in a single calendar year.

Mbappé’s presence in the starting lineup was one of the biggest surprises ahead of the Copa del Rey clash. Xabi Alonso opted for an unexpected eleven, featuring youth academy players and less regular starters like Gonzalo and Endrick. Still, the most striking inclusion was Mbappé himself, who started the match despite having played through discomfort in Vitoria.

From the opening minutes, the Frenchman was fully involved, even if he wasn’t the most active in terms of chance creation. His impact, however, was decisive. Mbappé converted calmly from the penalty spot to open the scoring, then played a key role in the second goal with a sharp run into the box. After the break, he completed his brace with a third goal that eased the tension, as Talavera pushed hard and nearly found an equalizer in stoppage time.

Now, with momentum firmly on his side, Mbappé will have one final opportunity to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s record when Real Madrid face Sevilla at the Bernabéu in the last match of the year.

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