Mbappe hat-trick lifts Real Madrid hopes before Malaga visit

Real Madrid return to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, 30 August 2026, as strong favourites to beat Malaga in their third La Liga match of the season, with Kylian Mbappe seeking to build on his first hat-trick of the campaign.

Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 GMT. The match will be played at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Real Madrid will be aiming to maintain their impressive recent record against Malaga.

Madrid have won four of their past five meetings with Malaga, while the other match ended in a draw. Malaga have not beaten the Spanish giants in that sequence, leaving Real Madrid as clear favourites ahead of the fixture.

The match comes after an emphatic midweek performance from Real Madrid. On Wednesday, they defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 in a rearranged fixture from the opening round of La Liga, with Mbappe scoring three times.

That victory followed a 2-1 away win against Espanyol, secured by a late goal from Espi. Jose Mourinho’s side finished second in each of the past two seasons and are targeting the La Liga title this term. They will also be determined to make up for their two Champions League quarter-final exits against Arsenal and Bayern.

Malaga, meanwhile, have made a difficult start to their return to La Liga. Juan Funes’ team began with a 2-0 defeat by Atletico at the Metropolitano before drawing 1-1 at home against Deportivo de La Coruna.

They have yet to record a victory in the league. Their pre-season preparations were also unconvincing, with Malaga winning only one of five matches. That sole success came in a 4-2 victory against Al Arabi.

The contrast in form leaves Real Madrid with a considerable advantage before Sunday’s encounter. Madrid’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad has provided further momentum, while Mbappe’s three-goal display makes him the leading threat for the home side.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 2-0 victory for Real Madrid.

The match will be broadcast in France by beIN Sports, in the United States by ESPN+, in the United Kingdom by Sky Sports and in Canada by DAZN. Viewers in Germany can watch on DAZN and Sky Deutschland, while DAZN will also show the game in Portugal and Spain. In Africa, coverage will be provided by Canal+ Sport and New World Sport.

Betting company 1xBet lists Real Madrid at 1.11 to win, with a draw priced at 9.00 and a Malaga victory at 21.00.