MADRID, SPAIN — Vinícius Júnior's brace from the penalty spot headlined Real Madrid's emphatic 4-1 dismantling of Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu, as the hosts showcased their attacking prowess to strengthen their grip on second place in the LALIGA standings. The Brazilian forward's composure from twelve yards, combined with strikes from Gonzalo García and Federico Valverde, overwhelmed the visitors despite a spirited response from Mikel Oyarzabal's early penalty.
The match exploded into life within the opening five minutes when García opened the scoring, latching onto Trent Alexander-Arnold's pinpoint cross and drilling a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner. The early breakthrough set the tone for what would become a masterclass in clinical finishing from Carlo Ancelotti's men, who wasted little time asserting their dominance over their Basque opponents.
Real Sociedad responded with characteristic resilience, earning a penalty in the 21st minute that Oyarzabal confidently converted high into the center of the goal, restoring parity and briefly silencing the Bernabéu faithful. The equalizer injected fresh belief into Imanol Alguacil's side, who had arrived in the capital sitting 11th with just 21 points from their opening 19 fixtures. However, their hopes of an upset were short-lived as Real Madrid's quality soon shone through.
Vinícius Júnior restored the hosts' advantage just four minutes later, stepping up to convert his first penalty with a composed right-footed finish into the center of the goal. The Brazilian's ice-cool temperament from the spot would prove decisive, as he repeated the feat three minutes into the second half, this time finding the bottom left corner after Jon Aramburu's foul in the penalty area. Between those two spot-kicks, Valverde produced the moment of the match in the 31st minute, unleashing a thunderous right-footed strike from the center of the box that flew into the top right corner, leaving Álex Remiro with no chance after excellent build-up play involving Álvaro Carreras.
The statistics painted a picture of an evenly contested midfield battle, with possession split almost down the middle at 51.8% for Real Madrid and 48.2% for the visitors. However, the numbers also exposed Real Sociedad's wastefulness in front of goal – despite firing off 13 attempts, only three troubled Thibaut Courtois, who was called into action to make two crucial saves. The Belgian goalkeeper denied Jon Martín's header in the 61st minute, palming away Carlos Soler's dangerous cross, before thwarting Aihen Muñoz's effort from the center of the box two minutes later.
Real Madrid's efficiency proved the difference, converting five of their 11 shots while maintaining defensive discipline throughout. Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni controlled the tempo in midfield, breaking up Real Sociedad's attacking moves and launching swift counterattacks that repeatedly stretched the visitors' backline. The home side's tactical superiority was evident in their ability to create high-quality chances, with Alexander-Arnold's creativity from right-back causing constant problems down the flank.
The second half saw Real Sociedad push desperately for a way back into the contest, earning six corners compared to Real Madrid's four, but they lacked the cutting edge to capitalize on their set-piece opportunities. Arda Güler, introduced as a substitute, nearly added a fifth goal with a curling left-footed effort from outside the box that sailed just wide in the 72nd minute. The Turkish playmaker's cameo demonstrated Real Madrid's remarkable squad depth, with Brahim Díaz and Dani Ceballos also entering the fray to help see out the victory.
Discipline remained largely intact throughout the encounter, with both sides receiving one yellow card apiece. Beñat Turrientes saw yellow in stoppage time for a late foul on Ceballos, capping a frustrating afternoon for the visitors who struggled to impose themselves despite their respectable possession figures. The nine fouls committed by Real Sociedad compared to Real Madrid's ten reflected the competitive nature of the contest, though the hosts' superior quality ultimately proved insurmountable.
For Real Madrid, sitting second with 45 points from 19 matches, this victory maintains pressure on the league leaders while showcasing the attacking firepower that makes them perennial title contenders. Their goal difference of +24 reflects their ability to dominate opponents, and with Vinícius Júnior in scintillating form alongside the creative talents of Valverde and the emerging Güler, Los Blancos possess multiple weapons to unlock any defense.
Real Sociedad, meanwhile, remain mired in mid-table mediocrity with their 11th-place position and negative goal difference of -3 highlighting the gap between themselves and Europe's elite. The defeat extends their inconsistent run of form and raises questions about their ability to climb the table in the season's second half.
Riding the wave, Real Madrid now target Alhama in their next fixture on February 15, looking to extend their winning momentum and continue their pursuit of silverware on multiple fronts.