European Roundup: Mbappé Fires Real Madrid Back To Winning Ways As Cup Drama Unfolds Across Europe‎

‎Kylian Mbappé delivered another masterclass on Wednesday night, scoring twice as Real Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–0 to end their three-game winless streak in La Liga.

‎The victory brought Madrid back within a point of Barcelona and restored much-needed confidence after a frustrating series of draws.

‎The match was one of several midweek fixtures rearranged due to the participation of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao in January’s Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

‎Mbappé Leads Madrid’s Revival

‎Madrid came into the game under pressure after consecutive league draws against Girona, Elche, and Rayo Vallecano.

‎But Mbappé quickly set the tone, picking up the ball near midfield in the seventh minute, sprinting away from two defenders, and calmly slotting home from distance. From that moment on, Madrid looked like a team determined to reassert dominance.

‎Eduardo Camavinga added a second goal before halftime with a close-range header following sustained Madrid pressure. Mbappé then struck again in the second half with a powerful long-range effort that left the stadium roaring.

‎His tally now stands at an astonishing 30 goals for club and country this season, and he remains the top scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League.

‎After the match, head coach Xabi Alonso praised the French forward’s form, noting how well he has been linking with Vinícius Júnior. Even Thibaut Courtois could not hide his admiration, admitting that he feels fortunate to be on the same side as a player he called “unstoppable.”

‎However, Madrid’s night was not all positive, as both Camavinga and Trent Alexander-Arnold were forced off with injuries, raising fresh concerns for Alonso ahead of a packed winter schedule.

‎Copa del Rey Delivers Upsets and Tension

‎While Madrid celebrated in the league, the Copa del Rey offered a completely different storyline filled with surprises.

‎Girona, one of this season’s standout teams, was eliminated by third-division Ourense in a stunning 2–1 upset that sent shockwaves across Spain.

‎Villarreal also found themselves pushed to the limit and required a tense penalty shootout to overcome fourth-division Antoniano. Elche’s progression was no simpler, as they needed extra time to finally defeat Quintanar del Rey.

‎Kane Guides Bayern Through a Wild German Cup Clash

‎In Germany, Harry Kane continued his extraordinary first season with Bayern Munich by scoring his 25th goal of the campaign during a 3–2 win over Union Berlin in the DFB-Pokal.

‎Bayern initially benefited from an early own goal before Kane doubled the advantage with a firm header. A Union Berlin penalty, awarded after Jonathan Tah’s handball, briefly tightened the scoreline, though Bayern regained control when Diogo Leite accidentally turned the ball into his own net.

‎The game took another twist when Kane conceded a penalty while contesting an aerial ball, allowing Leopold Querfeld to score again. Querfeld nearly completed an unlikely hat-trick late on, but his header drifted wide.

‎Bayern ultimately advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2022–23 season.

‎ Elsewhere, Stuttgart progressed with a comfortable victory over Bochum in a match overshadowed by Philipp Strompf’s own goal and subsequent red card.

‎Freiburg also advanced after defeating Darmstadt, while Holstein Kiel celebrated a memorable triumph over Hamburger SV following a dramatic extra-time equalizer and a penalty shootout.

‎Napoli Survive a Marathon Shootout in the Coppa Italia

‎Italy’s Coppa Italia produced one of the longest and most nerve-wracking penalty shootouts of the season as Napoli edged Cagliari 9–8 after a 1–1 draw in regular time.

‎Lorenzo Lucca had given Napoli the lead before Sebastiano Esposito equalized following an accidental assist by Scott McTominay.

‎The shootout swung back and forth as both sides missed crucial opportunities, including David Neres failing to secure the win with Napoli’s fifth kick. Even goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic stepped up and scored, helping to keep his side alive until Alessandro Buongiorno finally converted the decisive penalty.

‎Atalanta Thrash Genoa to Set Up Juventus Clash

‎Atalanta produced a dominant performance to defeat Genoa 4–0 and secure a quarter-final meeting with Juventus. Berat Djimsiti opened the scoring with a towering header, and Genoa’s prospects worsened when teenager Seydou Fini was sent off after denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

‎Marten de Roon extended Atalanta’s lead with a powerful strike from outside the box, Mario Pasalic added a well-taken third, and 17-year-old Honest Ahanor capped the night with his first senior goal in stoppage time.

‎It marked Daniele De Rossi’s first defeat since taking charge of Genoa last month and ended their brief resurgence.