A dominant win with a remarkable streak behind it

Real Madrid cruised to a 4-0 victory over Malaga at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday and extended one of those records that illustrates just how dominant Los Blancos have been against certain opponents. Madrid have now hosted Malaga 18 times in LaLiga without losing a single game.

José Mourinho’s side secured the victory through goals from Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler, along with an own goal from Alfonso Herrero. The result also kept Madrid’s perfect start intact after three games of the new league campaign.

But the 4-0 scoreline is only the latest chapter in a much longer story. Madrid entered Sunday having gone unbeaten in their previous 17 home league meetings with Malaga, winning 14 and drawing just three. Another emphatic victory means the Andalusian side will have to wait even longer for its first breakthrough.

A list no visiting team wants to join

The scale of the streak becomes even clearer when comparing Malaga’s record with other teams that have repeatedly visited Real Madrid without managing a league victory.

Only four clubs have played at least as many away league matches against Los Blancos without winning:

• Las Palmas: 36 matches
• Elche: 25 matches
• CD Malaga: 20 matches
• Real Murcia: 18 matches
• Malaga: 18 matches

Malaga have now drawn level with Real Murcia on an unwanted list. After Sunday’s defeat, their next opportunity to finally end the streak will have to wait until another visit to the Spanish capital.

Nine years later, nothing changed

It had been almost nine years since Malaga last stepped onto the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu. Their previous visit came in November 2017 and also ended in a Real Madrid victory, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the decisive goal in a 3-2 win.

That does not mean the Andalusian club has never frustrated Madrid. In September 2015, Javi Gracia’s team earned a 0-0 draw, with Carlos Kameni producing one of the standout performances of the game.

Three years earlier, Manuel Pellegrini’s Malaga also escaped with a point after a 1-1 draw. Getting a draw at the Bernabéu has been possible. Winning there remains the barrier Malaga cannot overcome.

Two very different starts to the season

Sunday’s game also reinforced the contrasting starts both teams have made to the new LaLiga campaign. Malaga arrived in Madrid with only one point after losing to Atlético Madrid and drawing against Deportivo.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, had won their opening two matches and entered the weekend riding an 11-game unbeaten run.

The 4-0 victory only widened that gap. Mourinho has maintained his perfect start to the league season, while several of Madrid’s biggest attacking names were once again among the goals.

For Malaga, their return to the Bernabéu after almost nine years ended just like so many previous visits. The players changed, the teams changed and nearly a decade passed, but the streak survived: 18 league visits and still no victory.

3 Key Takeaways From Real Madrid’s Streak Against Malaga

• The dominance continues: Real Madrid have now gone 18 home LaLiga matches against Malaga without suffering a defeat.
• Another emphatic victory: Bellingham, Mbappé and Güler scored in the 4-0 win as Mourinho’s side maintained its perfect start.
• The wait goes on: Malaga returned to the Bernabéu after almost nine years but are still searching for their first league victory there.

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