Real Madrid defeated Elche 3-2 at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, but the ratings were driven by the two players who stood out most. Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler both earned 8/10, and Mbappé finished the night with the decisive say in stoppage time.
Mbappe and Guler set the standard
Mbappé’s overall level is backed by the broader numbers as well. He has an 8.65 La Liga rating across 4 appearances, and his most recent league outing brought a 9. He also has 6 La Liga goals in 4 appearances, which fits the match report’s view that he was the difference-maker.
That judgement is not hard to argue with. The match reporter for siempremadrid.com said Mbappé “was the difference-maker for Real Madrid, as he so often is”, adding that he “netted their second with a brave finish in the first half, before slipping in Espi to score the winner in stoppage time.”
Güler was given the same match rating and the same central status in the performance. He has a 7.43 La Liga rating across 4 appearances, and the reporter’s view was that he “was outstanding”.
Madrid’s control faded after the break
Real Madrid raced into a 2-0 lead in the first half, but the control they built early did not last. The same report said it was “telling that Real Madrid had a major drop-off when he was substituted.”
The team’s recent league form still looks strong enough, with four wins in the last five, but the second-half wobble against Elche will not be ignored. Jose Mourinho was mentioned in the source report as the coach whose side lost that grip, although the finished article framing does not change the basic point: Madrid needed Mbappé late, and they needed Güler at his best earlier.
Carlos Espi scored the winner in the 91st minute after Jude Bellingham skipped away from multiple challenges and played Mbappé in for the decisive move. Vinicius Junior was taken off in the 68th minute, while Endrick only touched the ball twice.
The next league outing will matter less for the rating debate than for the pattern it confirms. If Real Madrid want to keep winning this way, Mbappé and Güler are the two names this performance puts at the front of the conversation.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
