Real Madrid 4-1 Real Sociedad: Vinicius Jr. at the double as Valverde thunderbolt seals statement win

Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid — Real Madrid surged two points clear at the summit of La Liga with a dazzling 4-1 dismantling of previously unbeaten Real Sociedad, setting the stage for a high-stakes mid-week Champions League trip to Benfica.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side needed only five minutes to signal their intent. Trent Alexander-Arnold, restored to the XI, curled a pinpoint delivery into the corridor of uncertainty where Gonzalo García arrived first to stab past Álex Remiro and spark early bedlam in the capital.

Sociedad, stung but unbowed, responded emphatically on 19 minutes. Dean Huijsen’s mistimed lunge on Yangel Herrera handed Mikel Oyarzabal the chance from the spot, and the captain lashed his penalty straight down the middle to level matters.

Parity lasted mere minutes. Vinicius Jr.’s dancing feet drew a rash challenge inside the box, and the Brazilian coolly sent Remiro the wrong way from 12 yards to restore Madrid’s advantage.

The hosts were irrepressible. On the half-hour mark, a sweeping move involving Eduardo Camavinga, Álvaro Carreras and Fede Valverde culminated in the Uruguayan arrowing a rising drive into the top-left corner for a goal worthy of any highlight reel.

García should have added a fourth on the stroke of halftime but blazed over from close range after Valverde had teed him up.

Any doubt evaporated three minutes after the restart. Vinicius, terrorising the visitors all evening, earned a second penalty and dispatched it with identical composure to complete the scoring.

Thibaut Courtois preserved the three-goal cushion with two outstanding reflex stops around the hour, while at the other end Pablo Marín cleared García’s goal-bound effort off the line. Vinicius thought he had a hat-trick late on, only for the flag to deny him.

The victory ends Real Sociedad’s unbeaten streak and cranks the pressure on Barcelona, who travel to face a yet-unnamed opponent on 16 February. Madrid, meanwhile, turn their focus to Lisbon and the first leg of their Champions League playoff against Benfica on Wednesday — a rematch of their recent 3-2 defeat in the Portuguese capital. Their next league assignment is a home date with Osasuna on 21 February.