Three Champions League games, three wins. José Mourinho’s side moved to nine points from a possible nine on Wednesday night, pulling clear of Leipzig with goals from Bernardo Silva, Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappé and substitute Yan Diomande. Tidiam Gomis scored Leipzig’s only reply.

Güler put the game out of reach with Madrid’s second shortly after the break, converting Jude Bellingham’s cross at the back post. Mbappé bent in the third from the edge of the box seven minutes from time, before Diomande, bought from Leipzig for a reported €140m in the summer, finished off a ferocious volley against his former club.

Vinícius jeered as he came off

The scoreline flattered the mood. Vinícius Júnior started on the left and was taken off with twenty minutes left for Diomande, prompting whistles from a section of the home crowd. He sat on the bench with a face like thunder, knowing he cannot appear in La Liga again until 4 November because of a four-match ban.

Mourinho addressed the reaction after the final whistle.

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“When you’re whistled away from home, it’s a source of motivation. When you’re whistled at home, it hurts you.”

The Portuguese coach rejected the suggestion that the change had been made with Sunday’s trip to Barcelona in mind, framing it as a tactical call rather than a cost-free rotation.

Mbappé, named player of the match, spoke in defence of his team-mate afterwards.

“He needs to be calm, and proud of who he is. A great player has to be proud of who he is. His confidence will come back, because he has the quality.”

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Mbappé scoring in every round

The France captain has now scored in all three of Madrid’s Champions League fixtures this season and has 12 goals in 12 appearances in all competitions. His own appraisal was more measured.

“I’m doing well, but I think I can do more. I’m one of the few players who always has to demand more from himself. Right now it’s a good moment, but we have to keep going and I have to do more.”

Mourinho was happier with the ending than the mood music around it, highlighting the fourth goal and the player who scored it.

“The fans went home happy, watching the duo of Mbappé and Diomande.”

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Barcelona on Sunday without Vinícius

Attention now turns to El Clásico. Barcelona host Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday 25 October, with kick-off at 9pm local time. Barcelona have won six of the last seven meetings in La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, and lead Madrid by six points in the table.

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