58 Not Out for Mbappe as Real Madrid Edge Past Talavera in Copa del Rey

Kylian Mbappe moved to within one goal of equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most Real Madrid goals in a calendar year after scoring twice in a 3-2 Copa del Rey win over Talavera on Wednesday.

The French forward netted his 57th and 58th goals of 2025 as Real Madrid progressed to the last 16 of the competition, overcoming a late fightback from the third-division hosts at Estadio El Prado. An own goal from defender Manu Farrando completed Real’s scoring, while Talavera found the net twice in the final 10 minutes.

Real Madrid, beaten finalists in last season’s Copa del Rey, took control of the tie early on. Head coach Xabi Alonso made 10 changes to the side that beat Alaves in La Liga on Sunday, with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr among those starting on the bench. Despite dominating possession, the visitors were made to wait for the opening goal.

The breakthrough came in the 41st minute when Mbappe converted from the penalty spot, sending goalkeeper Jaime Gonzalez the wrong way after Marcos Moreno was penalised for handball. Real doubled their lead shortly before half-time when Mbappe drove to the byeline and fired the ball into the box, with Farrando diverting it into his own net under pressure.

Talavera reduced the deficit in the 80th minute as Nahuel Arroyo found the net to give the home crowd renewed belief. However, that hope was quickly extinguished when Mbappe struck again eight minutes later. His powerful effort from distance was only partially saved by Gonzalez, with the ball ending up in the back of the net to restore Real’s two-goal cushion.

The hosts continued to push and scored again in stoppage time through Gonzalo di Renzo, but it proved too late to deny Real Madrid victory. The final whistle confirmed the Spanish giants’ place in the last 16.

Mbappe’s double leaves him one goal short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 59 goals in a calendar year for Real Madrid, set in 2013. The 26-year-old will have the opportunity to match or surpass that mark when Real face Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday.

The win was Real Madrid’s third in five matches and continues a positive run under Alonso. In addition to progressing in the Copa del Rey, Real currently sit second in La Liga and seventh in the Champions League with two league-phase matches remaining in January.