Talavera 2-3 Real Madrid: Lunin heroics spare Alonso's blushes in nail-biting Copa win
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Real Madrid beat Talavera in the Copa del Rey, but they had to rely on some late Andriy Lunin heroics.
Real Madrid survived a nervy finish to beat third-tier Talavera 3-2 and reach the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, with Andriy Lunin making a spectacular late save to prevent extra time.
Madrid – 20-time victors in the competition and runners-up to Barcelona last year – selected several big names after a poor run of form left Xabi Alonso's position as head coach in question, but they were far from comfortable at the Estadio El Prado.
Kylian Mbappe, who is still hoping to equal or better Cristiano Ronaldo's 21st-century record of 59 goals in a single year for Madrid, worked home goalkeeper Jaime Gonzalez early on.
And after Endrick went close from a tight angle, Mbappe netted Madrid's opener from the penalty spot in the 41st minute, after Marcos Moreno was penalised for heading against his own arm from a Madrid corner.
Mbappe played a major role in Madrid's second five minutes later, too, dummying a throw-in to get to the byline on the left, then seeing his cutback deflect in off Manu Farrando.
However, Los Blancos were unable to pull clear in the second half, and they were on the ropes when Nahuel Arroyo steered Ferrando's centre home with 10 minutes to play.
It looked like Madrid had finally done enough when Mbappe's speculative shot from distance squirmed past Gonzalez in the 88th minute, but there was more drama to come.
In the first of three additional minutes, Isaiah Navarro's curling free-kick was tipped onto the crossbar by Andriy Lunin, and Gonzalo Di Renzo was quickest to the loose ball to prod home.
Madrid were rocking at that point, and Talavera almost got a famous equaliser when Navarro diverted Sergi Molina's cross goalwards at the death, only for Lunin to spring to his right to make a match-winning save.
Data Debrief: Mbappe inches closer to Ronaldo record
Mbappe has now scored 58 goals for Madrid in all competitions in 2025, with only Ronaldo in 2013 (59) netting more in the famous white shirt in a calendar year.
The France captain has scored five hat-tricks and 11 braces at club level this year, with 12 of his goals coming from the penalty spot. Ronaldo had six hat-tricks, 12 braces and nine penalties in his record-breaking year.
Mbappe will now have a chance to overhaul Ronaldo when Sevilla visit the Santiago Bernabeu for Madrid's final game of 2025 on Saturday, in LaLiga.
Alonso, meanwhile, still has problems to solve. Though Madrid racked up 2.93 expected goals (xG), a substantial portion of that total came from Mbappe's penalty, and Talavera had chances worth 1.78 XG, firing off 16 shots and hitting the target with five.
