Real Madrid were pushed to the brink by lower-league Talavera de la Reina but escaped Estadio El Prado with a 3-2 win that keeps their Copa del Rey hopes alive. On a chilly December 17 evening with a 20:00 UTC kick-off, the European giants needed a Kylian Mbappé brace and a slice of luck from an own goal, plus a flurry of late saves from Andriy Lunin, to turn a potential disaster into a narrow victory in the Round of 32.

This was not the polished, dominant Madrid many expect. It was messy, nervy, and, in the end, just enough. Talavera, a fourth-tier side brimming with belief, made them earn every inch.

Copa del Rey scare under the lights at El Prado

Knockout ties on small, roaring grounds are the heartbeat of the Copa del Rey, and El Prado lived up to the tradition. Talavera’s players pressed, chased, and challenged from the first whistle, turning every loose ball into a duel and every set piece into a test.

Real Madrid’s quality eventually showed, but only in key, decisive moments. The visitors never fully settled, and that left the door ajar for a late twist.

Mbappé’s brace and the scrappy own goal

Madrid’s breakthrough came late in the first half when Kylian Mbappé converted a penalty in the 41st minute. The spot-kick settled early tension and put control in Madrid hands. Moments later, fortune helped again: a deflection off a Talavera defender ended up in the net for an own goal around the 42nd minute, and suddenly the scoreline looked comfortable at 2-0.

That cushion didn’t last the way Madrid wanted. The second half felt like a tug-of-war. Talavera kept believing, kept running, and kept the tie alive. Just when Madrid needed a closer, Mbappé provided it again, striking in the 88th minute for his second of the night. It was the kind of star turn that defines elite strikers: a quiet evening, two huge moments, and a tie decided.

“Mbappé can win you a tie even when the team looks flat.”

Talavera’s late surge: belief, pressure, and a lifeline

Credit belongs to Talavera for refusing to fold. Nahuel Arroyo pulled one back on 80 minutes, sparking a frantic finish. Madrid’s rhythm broke, the crowd roared, and the momentum tilted. Set pieces became weapons; second balls felt dangerous.

Even after Mbappé’s 88th-minute strike appeared to settle matters at 3-1, Talavera found another gear. Gonzalo Di Renzo made it 3-2 in stoppage time (90’+1’), turning the final minutes into a siege. A free-kick was spilled into a rebound chance, and the hosts swarmed for a famous equalizer that never quite came.

“Fourth tier on paper, first tier in heart – Talavera played without fear.”

Andriy Lunin’s late saves seal it for Madrid

When the game tilted, Andriy Lunin stood tall. The goalkeeper blocked Talavera’s all-out push right to the final whistle, including a crucial stop on a rebound after a dangerous free-kick in stoppage time. In knockouts, keepers often make the quiet difference; here, Lunin’s interventions were loud and vital.

For Madrid, those saves were not just highlights – they were the margin between routine progress and a shock exit. Lunin did what great cup keepers do: stay sharp when called upon and make the last action count.

“Lunin was the safety net – without him, that’s extra time, or worse.”

What this result says about Real Madrid

This was a reminder that the Copa del Rey punishes any drop in focus, even for the biggest clubs. Madrid had control at 2-0, then again at 3-1, but still had to survive a storm. That speaks to the competition’s chaos and the thin line between comfort and crisis in one-off ties.

Mbappé’s brace underlines why Madrid’s ceiling is so high: one elite finisher can change a game’s mood in seconds. Lunin’s late saves underline another truth: cup campaigns often belong to goalkeepers who deliver in the big, late moments. Between the star forward and the steady keeper, Madrid found the balance they needed in a scrappy match.

There will be questions about game management and control, because Talavera’s late surge was not an accident – it was a result of pressure, loose passes, and second phases that Madrid struggled to clear. But there will also be relief: the badge is still in the draw, and the lessons are clear.

Talavera leave with pride, Madrid move on

Talavera showed how lower-league sides can stretch giants in this competition. Their energy, belief, and late finishing pushed the tie to the edge. Arroyo and Di Renzo wrote their names into a memorable night for the club and its fans at El Prado.

For Madrid, survival was the story. The performance wasn’t clean, yet the key details went their way: Mbappé found two goals, an own goal helped, and Lunin closed the door at the end. In the Copa del Rey, that combination often proves enough.

What’s next in the Copa del Rey

Real Madrid advance from the Round of 32 and will await the next draw. Nights like this are warnings wrapped as wins: no easy games, no free passes, and every away tie on a tight pitch is a test. Madrid answered just in time.

In a season built on big targets, this 3-2 at El Prado won’t earn style points. But it does add something else that matters in cup football: evidence that even on a scrappy night, match-winners and match-savers can carry you through.