MADRID (AFP) – Kylian Mbappe scored a brilliant hat-trick to help Real Madrid thrash Real Sociedad 4-1 in La Liga in Jose Mourinho’s first home match back at the Santiago Bernabeu as the club’s coach.

Mourinho’s Madrid made it two wins from two with Vinicius Junior also on the scoresheet, while Jude Bellingham provided two assists as the star trio picked apart their Basque visitors.

Veteran Portuguese coach Mourinho selected the same side that snatched a late 2-1 win at Espanyol in his first match at the helm last Saturday.

Mourinho said it would be tricky but not impossible to get the team’s three biggest names in the same team all at their best, and this match suggested he is on the right track.

“This guy is incredible,” said Mourinho of Mbappe, while also praising Madrid’s overall display. “I see him really hungry to make history with Real Madrid, and I see a team where, despite Kylian being Kylian, it’s hard for me not to talk about the team.”

Vinicius fired over and Alex Remiro saved low at his near post from Mbappe during an open start to the game. At the other end, Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a smart stop from Mikel Oyarzabal.

Remiro was called into action again to deny Vinicius after Mbappe slipped in the Brazil international, while La Real’s Sergio Gomez sent a volley screaming just wide of Courtois’s far post.

Five minutes before half-time, Madrid found the breakthrough, with Federico Valverde feeding Mbappe.

The French forward, top scorer in La Liga in each of the last two seasons, took a clever touch to escape his marker and buried the ball in the top corner to claim the first goal of his campaign.

“It’s spectacular, incredible (to have Mbappe), we have to enjoy Mbappe and make the most of him as possible,” captain Valverde told Real Madrid TV.

“We have to give him a thousand balls so he is comfortable, he can score goals, and he’s happy.”

However, Los Blancos could not survive to the break without conceding the equaliser against last season’s Copa del Rey winners.

Job Ochieng dallied on the ball and his shot was blocked, but it fell nicely to Luka Sucic, who rammed home with the help of a deflection off Alvaro Carreras.

Valverde said that Madrid tweaked their approach to pressing in the second half and it paid dividends.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin