TALAVERA DE LA REINA, SPAIN — Real Madrid escaped with a heart-stopping 2-3 victory over lower-league Talavera in the Copa del Rey, surviving a late scare that had the Estadio Municipal El Prado roaring in defiance. Kylian Mbappé's double, including a crucial 88th-minute strike, looked to have sealed safe passage before Gonzalo Di Renzo's stoppage-time header ensured a nervy final five minutes for the visitors. Real Madrid dominated the ball with 64.6% possession, pinning Talavera back for long stretches, but the Segunda Federación side refused to surrender quietly.
Mbappé opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 41st minute, coolly slotting his right-footed effort to the bottom right corner after Talavera conceded a foul in the box. The French superstar thought he'd doubled his tally before halftime, but instead it was Manu Farrando who inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the first minute of stoppage time, gifting Madrid a 2-0 cushion at the break. The home side emerged from the interval with renewed determination, and their persistence paid off in the 80th minute when Nahuel Arroyo latched onto Farrando's cross to fire a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner, igniting hope among the home faithful. Just as Talavera sensed an equalizer might be within reach, Mbappé struck again in the 88th minute, receiving Aurélien Tchouaméni's assist before unleashing a right-footed thunderbolt from outside the box to the high centre of the goal. But Di Renzo refused to let the script end there, powering home a left-footed effort from the centre of the box in the 91st minute following a set piece to set up a frantic finale.
The tactical battle showcased Madrid's quality against Talavera's spirited resistance. Dani Ceballos and Franco Mastantuono controlled the midfield tempo for the visitors, while Dean Huijsen and Fran García dealt with Talavera's direct approach. Talavera's goalkeeper Jaime González was kept busy throughout, making six saves to keep his side in contention, including a spectacular stop to deny Arda Güler's curling effort in the 68th minute. Isaiah Navarro and Sergi Molina battled tirelessly in midfield for the hosts, disrupting Madrid's rhythm whenever possible and committing 11 fouls in their attempts to slow the visitors' attacking flow.
Real Madrid's statistical dominance told the story of their superiority, as they unleashed 25 shots compared to Talavera's 16 and won 11 corners to the hosts' five. Yet González's heroics between the posts and Talavera's determination to capitalize on their limited opportunities kept the contest alive until the final whistle. Madrid's nine shots on target reflected their clinical edge, though Endrick and Arda Güler both squandered chances that could have made the closing stages more comfortable.
The turning point arrived in the 88th minute when Mbappé's second goal appeared to extinguish Talavera's hopes. Tchouaméni's perfectly weighted pass found the forward in space, and his powerful strike left González with no chance. The stadium fell momentarily silent, the dream seemingly over. But Di Renzo's dramatic response three minutes later transformed the atmosphere once more, sending the home crowd into delirium and forcing Madrid to endure a tense final stretch. Jude Bellingham, introduced as a substitute, even picked up a yellow card in the 90th minute for a foul on Sergio Montero as Madrid desperately tried to see out the victory.
Looking ahead, Real Madrid will host Sevilla on December 20 as they return to domestic league action.