Mbappe's Four-Goal Night Sends Real Madrid to Historic Win in Athens

Match Recap

Real Madrid produced a dramatic 4-3 victory away to Olympiakos in Athens on Wednesday, as the fifth matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stage unfolded at Karaiskakis Stadium.

Kylian Mbappe ran amok with a four-goal haul (22', 24', 29', 59'), while Olympiakos struck back through Chiquinho (8'), Mehdi Tarimi (52') and Ayoub Kaabi (81').

Madrid climbed to 12 points in fifth place in the standings, while Olympiakos remained on two points in a table that still had some twists to reveal. The win also ended Madrid’s Athens hoodoo, their first success there after seven matches in the Greek capital that had yielded five draws and two defeats.

Alonso shuffled the lineup, keeping England star Jude Bellingham on the bench due to a tight hamstring. On the bench joined him were Rodrygo and Ibrahim Diaz, while Andriy Lunin started in goal with Thibaut Courtois unavailable due to injury.

The match opened with Olympiakos applying high pressure and Madrid struggling to relieve it. The hosts struck in the 8th minute as Chiquinho finished a rapid chain of passes to put Olympiakos ahead.

Madrid gradually found their rhythm. In the 24th minute a beautiful pass from midfield by Camavinga split the defense and released Mbappe, who calmly squared the game. A few minutes later Arda Guler delivered a precise cross to the far post where Mbappe headed in to give Madrid the lead, and in the 29th minute Mbappe completed a remarkable ten-minute spell with a cool finish to complete his hat-trick for a 3-1 advantage.

Just before the break, a potential fourth for Madrid was ruled offside, keeping it at 3-1 at halftime. After the restart, Mehdi Tarimi headed in at 52' to make it 2-3, but Madrid extended the gap again when Mbappe struck his fourth with a composed finish in the 59th minute.

Ayoub Kaabi then added a late header in the 81st minute to make it 4-3, but Madrid clung on as Olympiakos pressed for a late equalizer. The visitors held firm during the closing stages to seal a memorable win on Greek soil.

In terms of personnel, Lunin stood between the posts, while Madrid’s defensive organization committed less to the post-match analysis and more to the scoreboard that night. The clash also highlighted Madrid’s resilience and Mbappe’s extraordinary scoring form.

Match day details aside, this result marked a milestone for Madrid in Athens and underscored their attacking firepower when Mbappe is in peak form. Madrid’s tactical balance and clinical finishing carried the day, even as Olympiakos kept pushing until the final whistle.

Punchline time: If defending were a bank, Madrid’s back line would be filing for bankruptcy—yet the transfer-rate insurance somehow still pays dividends. And if humor were a weapon, Mbappe just used a four-bullet clip to redefine the term “hat-trick.”