Real Madrid overwhelm Málaga to make it three straight wins
Real Madrid maintained their perfect La Liga start with a 4-0 victory over newly promoted Málaga at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 19th minute after driving into the area, before Málaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero was credited with an own goal seven minutes later. Kylian Mbappé made it 3-0 in the 30th minute, converting a move created by Trent Alexander-Arnold, and substitute Arda Güler completed the scoring in the 91st minute following an assist from Vinícius Júnior. The result gave José Mourinho’s side nine points from three matches.
Madrid had the contest effectively settled before half-time and added a clean sheet to an increasingly confident opening campaign. Bellingham again made the decisive early contribution, while Mbappé continued his prolific start after scoring a hat-trick against Real Sociedad in the previous league match. Güler’s late goal provided another positive moment from the bench, arriving four minutes after his introduction according to Haberler.com. Real Madrid were due to visit Real Betis next, while Málaga were set to host Levante as they continued their return to the top flight with one point from three games.
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Aubameyang scores again as Deportivo beat Valencia
Deportivo La Coruña secured their first La Liga victory since returning to the top flight by beating Valencia 3-1 at home on Sunday. Valencia defender César Tárrega put the hosts ahead with an own goal in the 13th minute, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled the advantage four minutes later with a counter-attack finish. Umar Sadiq pulled one back for Valencia in the 26th minute, but Mouctar Diakhaby’s own goal restored Deportivo’s two-goal cushion in the 59th minute. Deportivo defender Adrià Altimira was sent off in stoppage time after receiving two yellow cards in the same minute.
Aubameyang’s goal was his third in as many matches since joining Deportivo from Marseille in the summer. The 37-year-old had previously scored in draws against Elche and Málaga, and his latest finish helped turn a competitive contest into a landmark victory for the promoted side. Deportivo moved up to seventh with five points, while Valencia remained 17th on one point after three games. The result gave Deportivo an important early boost in their top-flight return, whereas Valencia faced a difficult start after conceding three times, including two own goals.
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Julián Álvarez returns to Atlético training amid transfer uncertainty
Julián Álvarez returned to Atlético Madrid training on Sunday as speculation continued over a possible move to Barcelona before the La Liga transfer window closed. The Argentina forward had missed three group sessions after Atlético described his absence as an “indisposition”, then worked separately from the squad at Majadahonda on Friday. He was omitted from the matchday squad for Atlético’s 3-1 victory at Sevilla on Saturday. Atlético director of men’s professional football Mateu Alemany said the plan was for Álvarez to return to action quickly and be available for the next league match.
The timing kept the forward’s future at the centre of attention with the window due to close on Tuesday. Atlético chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín had accused Barcelona of dishonesty over its pursuit of Álvarez and insisted the player would not be sold to the Catalan club, according to Sportstar. Arsenal were reported as an alternative capable of making an offer of about €150 million. Diego Simeone, meanwhile, said after the Sevilla victory that “something can always happen”, a remark that ensured the transfer story remained unresolved despite Álvarez’s return to club training.
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Barcelona sell Héctor Fort to Real Sociedad for reported €8 million
Barcelona confirmed an agreement with Real Sociedad for the transfer of young defender Héctor Fort on Sunday. The reported fee was around €8 million, with Barcelona retaining a buy-back option and a percentage of any future sale. Fort, who had spent more than a decade in Barcelona’s academy system, signed a contract with Real Sociedad running until 2031. He had been unable to establish himself as a regular first-team player and spent the previous season on loan at Elche.
The move offered Fort a fresh opportunity to play more consistently while preserving Barcelona’s ability to regain the defender or benefit from a later transfer. He was seen at Real Sociedad’s stadium on Saturday watching the club’s La Liga match against Espanyol before the agreement was confirmed. For Barcelona, the retained clauses provided a measure of protection over a player developed through their academy; for Sociedad, the long-term contract signalled a commitment to adding Fort to their defensive options. His departure ended an extended association with the Catalan club.
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