Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Real Madrid kicked off 2026 with a bang, securing a resounding 5-1 victory over Real Betis in La Liga.
The match took place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
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Young striker Gonzalo Garcia starred, scoring his first La Liga hat-trick, filling in for the absent Kylian Mbappé.
This positive result also helped Real Madrid maintain pressure on Barcelona at the top of the table, narrowing the points gap in Week 18 of La Liga and maintaining second place.
Real Madrid Goal Party at the Santiago Bernabéu
Real Madrid put on an impressive performance in front of their home crowd against Real Betis.
This 5-1 victory was a resounding response after Real Betis had defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in their previous meeting in March 2025.
This was also Real Madrid's third consecutive league win, continuing their positive trend.
With the three points, Real Madrid now have 45 points from 19 matches, sitting in second place in La Liga.
They continue to trail leaders Barcelona by four points, maintaining a tight race at the top of the table.
The match was watched live via the Vidio streaming service, giving fans the opportunity to witness the exciting action from the Santiago Bernabéu.
Gonzalo Garcia, the New Star of the Bernabéu
Gonzalo Garcia was a dazzling performer and the highlight of this Real Madrid vs. Real Betis match.
The 21-year-old scored his first La Liga hat trick, filling the void left by Kylian Mbappé due to a knee injury.
Garcia's first goal came in the 20th minute with a precise header from Rodrygo's cross from a free kick.
Early in the second half, in the 50th minute, Garcia again found the net with a beautiful volley from the edge of the penalty area, after receiving a long pass from Federico Valverde.
Garcia's perfect hat-trick was completed in the 82nd minute with a brilliant backheel finish from Arda Guler's pass.
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso praised Garcia's performance, calling it a "dream match" for the young player.
"Obviously, Gonzalo played a dream match at the Bernabeu in his first year with us," Alonso said.
"He was eager to score here, and I'm very happy for him, for his work both on and off the pitch. He's a great example of a homegrown player, and I congratulate him on the game. I encourage him to keep it up.
Garcia himself expressed his happiness, saying, "It's a great way to start the year... my first hat-trick at the Bernabéu."
Other Goals and Real Madrid's Key Players Absence
In addition to Gonzalo Garcia, two other Real Madrid players also contributed goals in this resounding victory.
Raúl Asencio scored the third goal in the 56th minute with a header from Rodrygo's corner kick, extending Los Blancos' lead.
Fran García capped off Real Madrid's scoring spree in stoppage time, in the 90+3rd minute.
He converted Federico Valverde's cross for Los Blancos' fifth goal, sealing the victory.
Real Betis put up a fight and scored a consolation goal through Cucho Hernández in the 66th minute.
This goal came after Hernández received a pass from Aitor Ruibal, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope.
However, the goal wasn't enough to stem Real Madrid's dominance, who were strong throughout the match, securing three crucial points at home.
Real Madrid faced this match with several key players missing due to injury, including Dani Carvajal (knee), Trent Alexander-Arnold (thigh), Eder Militao (hamstring), and Kylian Mbappé (knee).
Brahim Diaz was also absent due to international duty (AFCON).
Mbappé's absence, despite the possibility of his involvement in the Super Cup, was a major blow to the attack.