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LIVERPOOL DENIED SEVENTH EUROPEAN CROWN AS REAL MADRID EDGE REDS IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

Liverpool were denied a seventh European crown as Real Madrid became kings of the continent once again thanks to Vinicius Junior’s strike in a Champions League final marred by chaos outside the Stade de France.

Paris stepped in as host after UEFA stripped St Petersburg of the showpiece following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but it did not provide a fitting host as European royalty went toe-to-toe in the biggest club match of the season.

Kick-off had to be delayed by 36 minutes due to substantial security issues outside the Stade de France, where Liverpool would be edged out 1-0 in a tense, engaging final settled by Real star Vinicius Jr.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were unable to find a response to the second-half strike as Carlo Ancelotti, managing a record fifth Champions League final just a year after leaving Everton, oversaw the Spanish giants’ 14th European Cup triumph.

It was a heartbreaking end to a memorable season for Liverpool, who won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup before being pipped to the Premier League title by a point and losing in the French capital.

Liverpool had settled quickest in Paris, where Thibaut Courtois denied Mohamed Salah – a man in search of revenge following his injury in the 2018 defeat to Real – before tipping a Sadio Mane strike onto the post.

Karim Benzema, this season’s Champions League top scorer, saw a goal ruled out for offside just before half-time and the LaLiga champions caught Liverpool napping in the 59th minute, landing a match-winning blow.

Vinicius Jr snuck behind Trent Alexander-Arnold to turn home Federico Valverde’s low cross and Courtois produced one of the best performances of his life to keep Liverpool at bay.

Salah led the charge for an equaliser that never arrived on a night that will be remembered by many for the farce outside the Stade de France, which led Liverpool to request a formal investigation midway through the final.

UEFA said the delay was due to “security reasons” but those inside the ground were told it was down to “the late arrival of fans”.

Despite the continuing chaos outside, singer Camila Cabello’s set went ahead as fireworks from the opening ceremony filled the air. If only as much thought had been put into planning as the pre-match pyrotechnics.

The Champions League anthem was jeered before play got under way 36 minutes late.

An edgy opening flew by without either side creating a clear cut-chance, but Courtois was alert when Alexander-Arnold squared for off-balance Salah to get away an effort.

Real Madrid’s goalkeeper denied more straightforward shots from the Thiago Alcantara and the Egypt international but had to be at his best to stop Mane landing a 21st-minute blow.

Showing great skill and poise, the 30-year-old beat two players and made space to get away a low snapshot that Courtois stretched to tip onto the post.

Madrid settled after that scare and seemed to pin their hopes on a moment of magic from Benzema or rapid Vinicius Jr racing behind.

Salah headed straight at Courtois and Jordan Henderson whistled wide as half-time approached, only for Real to find the net in the 43rd minute.

Benzema was put behind and cut past Andy Robertson, with Ibrahima Konate and Alisson getting in each other’s way when attempting to deal with the striker’s poor touch.

Valverde stretched to meet the loose ball under pressure and it popped through for the skipper to strike home, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. A decision ratified after a lengthy VAR review.

The second half began much like the opened period as the sides traded spells in possession without seriously threatening.

Alexander-Arnold was proving a handful on the right and Salah saw penalty appeals ignored as Liverpool fans’ chants began to fill the Parisian air.

But soon Real’s white wall were in raptures.

A move involving patient passing led Casemiro to play wide to Valverde on the right. The midfielder was afforded too much time and drove a cross to the far post, where Vinicius Jr had ghosted behind Alexander-Arnold and fired home.

It was a body blow that Liverpool tried to respond to, only for Courtois to prove an immovable object.

The Real goalkeeper stopped a curling 20-yard effort from Salah, who was soon seeing the Belgium international race across the face of goal to block a shot.

Alexander-Arnold drove a ball in as Liverpool desperately pushed, with substitute Diogo Jota almost diverting a Salah effort home. Courtois came to the rescue again.

Madrid’s defenders raced over to the goalkeeper in the 82nd minute when he somehow denied Salah, who controlled superbly before hitting a fizzing strike.

Play became stretched as Liverpool desperately hunted an equaliser that would evade them.

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Calhanoglu’s penalty seals Derby d’Italia triumph

Inter kept alive their Serie A title hopes with a 1-0 Derby d’Italia win over Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

Simone Inzaghi’s side were second best in the first half, yet they went ahead moments before the interval courtesy of Hakan Calhanoglu’s twice-taken penalty.

Juve huffed and puffed in the second half but they were unable to find the leveller that would have stretched their unbeaten run in the Italian top flight to 17 games.

The result meant Inter remain in third, three points behind leaders Milan, while Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve stay in fourth, seven points behind the Rossoneri having played a game more.

Juve started at a breakneck pace, and they almost went ahead in the ninth minute when Giorgio Chiellini diverted Samir Handanovic’s dismal punch onto the crossbar from close range.

Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado went close from distance soon after, while Alvaro Morata headed across the face of goal from a promising position.

Despite Juve’s dominance, Inter went in at the break ahead in dramatic circumstances.

Wojciech Szczesny kept out Calhanoglu’s initial spot-kick after Morata had clipped Denzel Dumfries, yet the ball ended up in the back of the net following an almighty scramble.

Referee Massimiliano Irrati chalked that off, though, after a Juve player had stepped into the area too early, with Calhanoglu making no mistake from 12 yards at the second time of asking.

Dusan Vlahovic whipped wide after a smart turn shortly after the hour mark, before substitute Denis Zakaria thumped the post as Juve’s unbeaten run ended with a whimper. 

This was only Inter’s second away victory over Juventus in their past 16 attempts across all competitions, and there is little doubt they rode their luck.

A dominant Juve finished the game having had 23 shots, while the Nerazzurri managed a mere five, with just one on target. That was the one that mattered, though.

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UCL: VILLAREAL HOLD JUVENTUS AFTER DUSAN VLAHOVIC’S EARLY STRIKE

Dusan Vlahovic lived up to the hype by scoring 32 seconds into his Champions League debut on Tuesday but Juventus have work to do to make the last 16 after being held to a 1-1 draw by Villarreal in the first leg. Vlahovic found the corner with just his second touch of the game at La Ceramica but a sensational start for Juve and the Serb’s Champions League career was not enough for victory. Instead, Villarreal’s Dani Parejo steered in a deserved equaliser midway through the second half to leave a compelling contest in the balance ahead the return leg in Turin.

At 22 years and 25 days old, Vlahovic is the second youngest player to score on their Champions League debut for Juventus after Alessandro Del Piero made his mark aged 20.

“He’s young, this is his first Champions League match,” said Juve’s Alvaro Morata. “Imagine the career he has ahead of him.”

Vlahovic was signed for an initial 70 million euros from Fiorentina in January and to huge excitement, with Juve toasting the arrival of one of the world’s most coveted young talents.

Juventus coach Max Allegri had tried to reduce expectations on Monday by insisting the striker would have to adapt psychologically and technically to the intensity of the Champions League – but Vlahovic needed less than a minute to find his feet.

It was his second goal in five appearances for Juve after he scored 12 minutes into his debut against Verona earlier this month, following a blistering 25 goals in 31 games for Fiorentina.

“When you play against this type of team, with top players, you can’t give them even half an inch. It was a great goal,” said Parejo.

Juventus will be favourites to finish the job at home next month but a well-organised and disciplined Villarreal, who won the Europa League last season, showed enough to suggest an upset is far from impossible.

“We feel a bit of frustration. You need to win at home,” said Villarreal’s Etienne Capoue. “But I think this team has the strength and mentality to win there. It’s difficult but we can do it.”

Nine Juventus players had not yet touched the ball when it hit the back of the Villarreal net.

Villarreal had stroked the ball back and across the pitch from kick-off but it was their ninth pass that went astray, Alberto Moreno choosing to dummy when he thought Arnaut Danjuma was behind him, only to find Danjuma had sprinted away.

Danilo intercepted and instantly drove a ball over the top, where Vlahovic had sped between Raul Albiol and Pau Torres. Vlahovic chested down and looked well-marshalled, with Torres tracking him across, but the striker fired early on the turn and the ball slid crisply into the far corner.

Half of the Villarreal team were yet to have a touch but they responded, dictating possession and tempo while Samuel Chukwueze went close, a flicked finish flashing wide of the near post.

Juventus were compact and organised while up front, Vlahovic remained a brooding presence. He held up three defenders in the area and laid back for Manuel Locatelli but the midfielder shot over.

Leonardo Bonucci, fit again after recovering from injury, replaced Alex Sandro at half-time but Villarreal finally found an equaliser in the 66th minute. Etienne Capoue held the ball in midfield and looked short of ideas, until Parejo spotted a gap and darted in behind.

Capoue lifted the ball over the top to the midfielder, who swung his left foot, a scuffed finish enough to beat Wojciech Szczesny at the near post.

The game tightened up late on as neither team wanted to risk opening themselves up, preferring to defer to the rematch in Turin.

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FRENCH CUP: NICE KNOCKOUT PSG ON PENALTIES

Paris Saint-Germain were eliminated from the French Cup on Monday as Marcin Bulka, a goalkeeper they loaned to Nice, saved twice in a penalty shootout to put his new team into the last eight.

Nice, second to PSG in Ligue 1, won 6-5 on penalties after a scrappy 0-0 draw. That set up a grudge quarter-final against Marseille, third in the league.

“It’s madness,” Bulka said.

The last-eight draw, made before Monday’s kickoff, also paired the two surviving fourth-tier clubs, Bergerac and Versailles.

In both the other ties, a Ligue 1 team will host a Ligue 2 side as Monaco face Amiens and Nantes entertain Bastia.

At the Parc des Princes, both teams struggled to create clear chances, although Kylian Mbappe, who came on for the last 30 minutes, hit the bar in added time.

“We were better than Nice,” said PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino. “We deserved better, we deserved to win. But we did not create enough to win. We should have been more efficient.”

“The penalty shootout is a lottery,” he added.

In the shootout, Bulka, who PSG loaned to Nice for the season after Gianluigi Donnarumma arrived last summer, had the final word.

The Pole saved the third PSG penalty from Leandro Paredes, but Donnarumma responded by parrying from Andy Delort.

Bulka, making a rare start for Nice, then ended the contest by diving to his left to save from 18-year-old Xavi Simons.

“I have all the respect for PSG because I am on loan from this club that I love,” he said, adding that his familiarity with some players was not an advantage.

“I know the players but it’s more the feeling, I chose the correct sides and stopped them,” he said.

It was Bulka’s first appearance at the Parc des Princes, where he had never played for PSG.

“My family was here, I’m very happy because it was the first time they saw a game,” he said.

Nice will next host nearby Marseille in a rematch of a Ligue 1 game on August 22 that was abandoned after home fans invaded the pitch and then a brawl broke out between the sides.

Nice had a point deducted as punishment.

The quarter-finals are scheduled for midweek on 8-9 February.

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Gunners cruise past sorry Saints

Arsenal recorded a dominant 3-0 home win over an uninspiring Southampton in Saturday’s Premier League clash.

Mikel Arteta dropped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from his squad on Saturday due to a “disciplinary breach”, but Alexandre Lacazette stepped up to open the scoring before Martin Odegaard added a second in the first half.

Gabriel netted a third after the break before Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka were each denied by the woodwork, with Southampton long since having given up on ending a winless run away at Arsenal that extends to 27 league matches.

Saints are five without a win and just six points above the relegation zone, but victory moved Arsenal within a point of fourth-placed West Ham.

Although Aaron Ramsdale denied Adam Armstrong and James Ward-Prowse as Arsenal started tentatively, they were soon ahead after a lovely passage of play was capped off by Lacazette finding the top-right corner following Saka’s cutback.

And it was two just six minutes later as Odegaard reacted fastest to Kieran Tierney’s looping header and sneaked in to nod past Willy Caballero – the Norway international’s third goal in as many games.

Odegaard looked to double his account after the interval but whipped over, while Nathan Tella forced another smart stop from Ramsdale.

Gabriel, who was earlier denied a goal for offside, then towered above Caballero to head home from Martinelli’s corner, before the 20-year-old and Saka were thwarted by either post.

Nathan Redmond and Tella responded by inducing a further two saves from Ramsdale, but it was too little too late as the hosts cruised to a comfortable victory.

Arteta’s team succumbed to defeat on the road against both Manchester United and Everton but responded emphatically against Southampton and have now won three league home games in a row without conceding for the first time since October 2017

Southampton, who badly need results over the festive period, have still never won a Premier League away game against the Gunners, their 23-match barren run away to one opponent the longest in the competition’s history.

Saka was once again a shining figure for Arsenal as he repeatedly tormented Kyle Walker-Peters down the right-hand side.

The England international created three chances – including the opener – and has now assisted 22 Arsenal goals in all competitions since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, four more than any other player.

Southampton are going through a goalkeeper crisis, with both Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster injured, and were forced to call upon 40-year-old Caballero, signed to a one-month contract.

However, that does not excuse the fact they have now conceded 50 Premier League away goals in 2021, becoming the first side to do so in the top flight since both Watford and West Brom in 1985.

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LEICESTER CRASH OUT OF EUROPA LEAGUE AFTER NAPOLI DEFEAT

Leicester are out of the Europa League after losing 3-2 at Napoli.

An end-to-end encounter saw four goals shared in the first half in Naples, where the hosts led 2-0 courtesy of strikes from Adam Ounas and Eljif Elmas.

However, the Foxes responded through Jonny Evans and academy graduate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first goal for the club.

Elmas struck again early in the second half and, despite Brendan Rodgers’ side having chances to get themselves level once more, it proved decisive.

Leicester began the night top of Group C, but they ended it in third place and headed into the Europa Conference League after their defeat was compounded by Spartak Moscow’s 1-0 win at Legia Warsaw, with the Russian club topping the table.

Much of the pre-match talk was of Leicester having to leave behind seven players through illness. Rodgers confirmed some of the unnamed players had tested positive for coronavirus, while others had been left at home as a precaution.

But it was a strong Foxes team that took to the field, which included Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans returning from a five-match absence with a calf problem.

Napoli were also ravaged by injury, with boss Luciano Spalletti without star players Kalidou Koulibaly, Victor Osimhen, Lorenzo Insigne and Fabian Ruiz. Frank Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka were also absent.

Leicester made a bright start and should have taken an early lead. Dewsbury-Hall charged down the left flank all the way to the by-line and his far-post cross was met by Timothy Castagne inside the six-yard box, but goalkeeper Alex Meret somehow made a smothering save on his goal line.

Napoli went straight up the other end and scored. A mistake by Tielemans, although the midfielder was not helped by the pass from Caglar Soyuncu, resulted in Ounas finding the corner of the net with a low shot across Kasper Schmeichel after four minutes.

It saw the midfielder mark his first start for the club since April 2019 with a goal.

Elmas doubled Napoli’s lead 20 minutes later. Andrea Petagna strolled through the middle of the Leicester defence before unselfishly teeing up Elmas for a tap -in.

With Spartak Moscow also leading at Legia Warsaw, it looked like the Foxes were exiting the Europa League with a whimper.

However, Evans immediately pulled a goal back, smashing home the loose ball from eight yards out after James Maddison’s free-kick had struck a defender and landed in his path.

With 33 minutes on the clock, Leicester were level. Another free-kick was only half-cleared by the hosts and Dewsbury-Hall volleyed the ball into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Leicester’s hard work in getting back into the match was almost undone at the beginning of the second half, with only a fine save by Schmeichel by his near post preventing Ounas from getting his second goal of the night.

However, the Foxes did find themselves behind again after 53 minutes when Elmas grabbed his second goal of the night, controlling Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s low cross before giving Schmeichel no chance with his close-range finish.

Immediately at the other end, Di Lorenzo inexplicably passed the ball across his own penalty area where Maddison intercepted before, with the goal at his mercy, letting Napoli off the hook as his shot clipped the outside of a post and went wide.

The frenetic pace slowed a little after that, with Napoli becoming increasingly more comfortable to sit back and allow Leicester more possession. The Foxes were not creating chances with their previous frequency and it was not until the 75th minute that Jamie Vardy riffled a shot into the side-netting.

Five minutes later Dewsbury-Hall slipped at the vital moment as he attempted to round off a lovely Leicester attack.

The Foxes looked like they might be handed a dramatic reprieve in Warsaw when Legia were awarded a penalty deep into injury time. An equaliser would have see Leicester go through despite their defeat, but the spot-kick was saved.

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STEVEN GERRARD STARTS VILLA JOB WITH A WIN

Steven Gerrard admitted to feeling a mixture of pride and relief after two late goals got his managerial reign at Aston Villa off to a winning start.

Gerrard celebrated exuberantly when Ollie Watkins broke the deadlock after 84 minutes to put Villa in front against Brighton.

And the former Liverpool midfielder was jumping around his technical area again two minutes from time when Tyrone Mings lashed in another goal to seal a 2-0 victory.

It saw Gerrard become the first Villa manager to win his first Premier League game in charge since John Gregory in February 1998, and immediately put a four-point gap between Villa and the relegation places.

Gerrard, who left Rangers during the international break to replace Dean Smith at Villa Park, said: “I was feeling a combination of things. It was a mixture of excitement, relief and pride. I cannot be any more proud of the players. This was a big week, a big game for the team on the back of losing five.

“Some people were only around for a couple of days in the week. Everything we have asked them to do, in the main, they have followed instruction and delivered a really good performance in the end. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Gerrard prowled the touchline throughout the match, cajoling his players and offering guidance.

Asked about his management style, the 41-year-old said: “I want to be there on the side for my players. I want to coach from the side and I want them to see me and be visible. I want to help them, guide them, so they carry a game-plan out.

“Inside me is what was with me as a player, that will to win, that drive and energy.

“The buzz and highs as a player you certainly miss, and it’s why you want to stay in the game.

“You are trying to control your emotions but you are kicking every ball. I love competing and I love winning. You should see me in staff games – five-aside or six-aside. I want to win.

“I love seeing my players smiling and feeling good about themselves.

“I want to, at times, show emotion. I will always be authentic. If anyone doubts me then just watch me after those goals today. That’s real. That’s feeling coming out. But you can’t be like that all the time.”

Despite the win, Villa’s first after six successive defeats and their first at home since September 18, Gerrard was not getting carried away.

“We were tense at times and it wasn’t all perfect, but I thought we finished the game extremely strong,” said the Villa boss.

“We have a lot of things to build on, the issues we had in the game, and look at the debrief, and from that we will grow, but we will be stronger.”

Brighton had most of the ball and the better chances to score, before Watkins fired Villa in front.

Albion boss Graham Potter was frustrated to see his team take nothing from the game.

“I thought up until 83 minutes we did pretty much everything you can here apart from score in terms of controlling the crowd,” said Potter.

“We knew the environment we were going to face and how difficult that is, but I thought we controlled the crowd, we controlled the game. I thought we attacked better. I thought we created better chances.

“Then we left ourselves exposed a little bit and the turnover happens and we are 1-0 down. The last seven or eight minutes are disappointing.”

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IFAB RECOMMENDS MAKING FIVE SUBSTITUTIONS RULE PERMANENT

The International Football Association Board’s advisory panel has recommended five substitutions be implemented on a permanent basis in the sport.

During a virtual meeting chaired by FIFA on Wednesday, IFAB’s Football and Technical Advisory Panels (FAP-TAP) made the suggestion to bring in five changes permanently following a number of requests by confederations, associations, leagues and other key stakeholders.

An IFAB statement read: “FAP-TAP today recommended that competitions should be able to decide on increasing the number of substitutes according to the needs of their football environment, while the current number of substitution opportunities (three plus half-time) should stay the same.”

An increase to five substitutions was introduced on a temporary basis in May, 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the congested fixture list once football returned.

In May it was extended for a further 18 months until the end of 2022, when the World Cup in Qatar will be completed.

But the Premier League decided against using it for the 2020-21 campaign and reverted back to three substitutions, which remains the case for the current season after clubs voted on the issue.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp have remained vocal critics of the move not to allow five changes, especially with that number being allowed in European competitions in addition to the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in England.

Other topics discussed during IFAB’s advisory panel meeting were clarification over the next edition of the laws of the game, namely to confirm that a goalkeeper must be on the goal line before a penalty is taken.

Meanwhile, the global trial with additional permanent concussion substitutions has been extended beyond the initial end date of August, 2022 to gather more relevant data whilst a CONMEBOL request to increase half-time intervals from 15 minutes to 25 minutes was met with concern over player welfare and safety from several IFAB members.

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CRISTIANO RONALDO NOMINATED FOR PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named on the Premier League’s September Player of the Month shortlist.

The 36-year-old’s inclusion comes in his first month back in England’s top flight, where he has made an instant impact with three league goals – including two on his debut against Newcastle.

Ronaldo, who returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in August, also scored in United’s 2-1 victory at West Ham on September 19.

He is one of six players up for the award, alongside compatriot and Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo, Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, Allan Saint-Maximin of Newcastle, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.

Fans are being encouraged to get involved and select their winner via the EA Sports website, with a deadline of 12pm on Monday, October 4

However, Ronaldo’s goal-scoring exploits have not been solely confined to the Premier League, with the Portuguese netting two goals in two Champions League matches so far this season – including a late winner against Villarreal on Wednesday.

His latest match-winning contribution left Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer singing his praises after the game.

“He’s done that so many times,” Solskjaer said of Ronaldo. “When you saw him against the Republic of Ireland a few weeks ago [for Portugal], he missed a penalty early, didn’t touch the ball more or less and then scored two great headers in the last two minutes.

“That’s just what he’s done throughout his career. He’s so strong mentally. He stays in the game, I’ve seen him all day today, the way he’s built himself up for this game, how focused he’s been and when he gets that one chance, it’s a goal. But a true mark of a very good finisher is that he keeps calm when the chance arrives.

“He’s so good in front of goal and he has an impact on everyone – the crowd, the players, everyone.”

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LA LIGA: ASENSIO BAGS HATRICK AS REAL MADRID HIT MALLORCA 6-1 TO GO TOP

Marco Asensio scored his first hat-trick for Real Madrid on Wednesday against Mallorca, his boyhood club, as Madrid cruised to a 6-1 win to go top of La Liga. Karim Benzema capitalised on an early Mallorca mistake at the Santiago Bernabeu before three goals in five minutes put Madrid 3-1 ahead, two Asensio strikes coming either side of a curling effort from Mallorca’s Lee Kang-in.

Asensio completed his treble with a bending shot of his own in the second half and went off to a standing ovation, leaving Benzema to add his second and Isco to tap in Madrid’s sixth late on. Benzema’s second goal was his 200th in La Liga, making him only the 10th player to reach the milestone.

“Clearly Karim is playing very well,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. “Not just himself but for the team. He is a complete striker.”

Victory lifts Real Madrid two points clear of Atletico at the top of La Liga, with Sevilla up to third after they had earlier eased past Valencia 3-1.

Asensio was born in Palma and began playing for Mallorca aged 10, only to join Real Madrid in 2016.

He declined to celebrate any of his three goals but will have made an impression on Ancelotti, who was giving the 25-year-old his first start of the season.

“Asensio did very well. It is true that from that position he can hurt the opponent, between the lines he has a lot of quality,” Ancelotti said.

Benzema now has eight goals this term and there were noteworthy displays too from Eduardo Camavinga, the hugely exciting 18-year-old midfielder, as well as Madrid’s two central defenders, David Alaba and Eder Militao, whose distribution was instrumental in almost all the goals.

Despite scoring two late goals to beat Valencia on Sunday, Ancelotti criticised his team for again being too open at the back. Mallorca had chances but they were blown away by Madrid’s revitalised attack.

The first goal, though, was a gift, as Josep Gaya failed to control a routine pass across the defence and then slipped trying to recover, allowing Benzema to race clear and finish.

Militao instigated the second with a driven pass out to Vinicius, whose angled pass sent Rodrygo in behind. His deflected cross was prodded out by Mallorca goalkeeper Manolo Reina, for Asensio to finish.

Lee hit back almost immediately, weaving past Militao and Alaba and curving a shot into the bottom corner. But hope of a comeback was brief, as Asensio scored his second, latching onto a slick Benzema touch before sliding home.

Another neat lay-off from Benzema and Asensio completed his hat-trick just before the hour and there was still time for two more, Benzema controlling Alaba’s ball over the top with his back and finishing before Vinicius gave Isco an open net to tap into.

Sevilla had earlier scored three goals in the first 22 minutes against Valencia to win 3-1 and go third.

Alejandro Gomez put Sevilla in front in the third minute at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan before Gonzalo Montiel and Rafa Mir made it three within the first half an hour.

Valencia gave themselves hope when Hugo Duro pulled one back in the 31st minute but Sevilla held their nerve in the second period to record their third win of the season.

Julen Lopetegui’s side are still unbeaten but Valencia’s strong start under new coach Jose Bordalas has been dented in the last few days.

This latest loss comes after they conceded two late goals to lose to Real Madrid on Sunday, with Bordalas’ team dropping to fourth.