Gonzalo Garcia scores a Perfect Hattrick at The Bernabeu
Xabi Alonso surprises Real Betis with Garcia as his trump card. With Mbappe being injured, Madrid looked pretty vulnerable before the kickoff. Fans were not confident going into the game without Mbappe.
Garcia and Xabi surprise everyone’s expectations. With Rodrygo, Vini, and Bellingham all clicking up with a proper number 9, Garcia shone like a star. Phenomenal finishing from the head, right leg, and left leg, a dream match at home for the young star. Real looked like vintage Madrid, the 2023/2024 season, where Joselu shone at crucial matches.
Does this prove Real needs a proper number 9 more than Mbappe?
Timeline
- 20’ GOAL! G. Garcia (Real Madrid): Persistent Madrid pressure finally tells from a Rodrygo free-kick near the corner flag. He whips a deep delivery towards the back post, where Gonzalo Garcia rises highest and thumps a downward header across Valles into the far corner for 1-0 at the Bernabéu.
- 50’ GOAL! G. Garcia (Real Madrid): Madrid spring forward again after Betis fail to clear their lines, Valverde fizzing a pass into Garcia on the edge of the box. The young striker cushions the ball on his chest and unleashes a stunning right-footed volley that screams past Valles into the top corner to double the lead.
- 56’ GOAL! Asencio (Real Madrid): Xabi Alonso’s men turn to a rehearsed set-piece, Rodrygo swinging in a dangerous corner from the right. Asencio ghosts into space at the near post and plants a firm header beyond the stranded Valles to make it 3-0 and put Madrid firmly in control.
- 66’ GOAL! Cucho Hernández (Real Betis): Betis finally lands a punch as Hernández is slipped through the heart of Madrid’s defence. He rounds Courtois with composure and drills a low finish that Rüdiger cannot hack clear on the line, pulling it back to 3-1 and briefly silencing the home crowd.
- 82’ GOAL! G. Garcia (Real Madrid): Any Betis momentum is killed when substitute Güler threads a clever pass into Garcia inside the six-yard box. With his back to goal, the striker produces a cheeky backheel that wrong-foots Valles and trickles over the line to complete a hat-trick and restore the three-goal cushion at 4-1.
- 90+3’ GOAL! Fran García (Real Madrid): Betis switch off in stoppage time as Valverde spots Fran García darting into space down the left. The full-back bursts into the box and lashes a rising shot beyond Valles at the near post, rounding off a five-star Madrid performance at 5-1.
Final Score: Real Madrid 5-1 Real Betis
Tactical Breakdown
Opening Dominance: Madrid’s Immediate Control
Real Madrid announced themselves with brutal intent from the first whistle, pressing high and suffocating Betis’ attempts to build from the back. Xabi Alonso’s side exhibited a compact 4-2-3-1 shape in the early phases, with Bellingham and Arda Güler providing creative support behind Gonzalo García’s central positioning. The tactical blueprint was clear: win the ball early, transition vertically, and exploit Betis’ defensive vulnerabilities through a combination of width and central runs.
Gonzalo García’s Emergence: The Proper Number 9 Problem
Gonzalo García’s hat-trick performance illuminated a fundamental truth about Xabi Alonso’s attacking philosophy. The system flows with stunning fluidity when a true number 9, disciplined in positioning and committed to defensive output, occupies the central role. Unlike Kylian Mbappé’s free-roaming, sometimes defensively negligent profile. García maintained an intelligent territorial presence, allowing Rodrygo and Vinícius to operate with clarity rather than compensatory overexertion.
García’s first goal was a powerful header from Rodrygo’s free-kick delivery at the 20-minute mark. He epitomized his central positioning and aerial dominance. His second was a spectacular chest control and volley from Valverde’s long ball. This demonstrated technical proficiency beyond mere positioning. His third, a delicate backheel flick from Güler’s cross, showed a player fully integrated into the system. Being aware of his teammates’ movements and capable of executing with precision.
The critical difference: García absorbed defensive responsibility without complaint. He tracked Betis’ midfielders, covered shadow space. And allowed Vinícius and Bellingham to press with aggression rather than anxiety. This defensive synergy is absent when Mbappé plays, giving Alonso’s full-backs and midfielders breathing room. Valverde and Carreras could push forward confidently, knowing García would shield rather than expose.
Tactical Fluidity Under Alonso’s Control
The architecture of Alonso’s system revealed itself through Real Madrid’s second-half dominance. In the opening 45 minutes, while Madrid controlled possession and territory, Betis remained dangerous on transitions. The second half saw a qualitative shift: Madrid became almost symphonic, with García’s central presence enabling continuous rhythm and pattern repetition.
Valverde operated with 93% pass accuracy, recovering loose balls and launching progressive passes. Güler completed 91% of his passes while creating two big chances. Bellingham drifted between lines with purpose, the 4-2-3-1 occasionally morphing into a 4-4-2 shape for defensive phases. This structural flexibility—impossible when tracking Mbappé’s erratic positioning—allowed Alonso to compress and expand dynamically, always maintaining superiority in the zones that mattered
Set-Piece Perfection: García’s Catalytic Presence
Real Madrid’s set-piece routines—particularly the choreographed corner that yielded Raúl Asencio’s header and García’s first goal—thrived because of central positioning clarity. García’s aerial presence forced Betis’ defenders into constant decisions: mark him tight or risk his leap. This compression created the space for late arrivals and second runners. The contrast to periods when Mbappé roams freely, leaving question marks about positioning, was stark and revealing.
The Broader Lesson: System Architecture vs. Individual Brilliance
The Betis demolition raised uncomfortable questions about Real Madrid’s construction. Mbappé possesses elite pace and goal-scoring instinct, yet his defensive indifference, forcing Rodrygo into wide defensive shuttling, compromises Alonso’s possession-based architecture. García, conversely, embodies the system player: intelligent positioning, defensive awareness, technical sufficiency without demanding the ball constantly, and an understanding that his role includes covering for attacking freedom elsewhere.
This is not to suggest García matches Mbappé in quality—he does not. Rather, it suggests that Alonso’s Real Madrid, built on positional excellence and collective synchronization rather than individual chaos, functions optimally with a central striker whose priorities include defensive structure. The 5-1 scoreline was not simply about García’s three goals; it was about a system operating without friction, every player knowing their defensive and offensive obligations.
Manager Reaction
🚨 Xabi Alonso: “This bad streak will end, it will pass.
Everything passes in life.” pic.twitter.com/0EZePyuL2N
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) December 10, 2025
Xabi Alonso:
“This was the dream game for Gonzalo, I’m so happy for him!”
“A hat-trick at the Bernabéu in his first season in the first team… Gonzalo is INCREDIBLE, and an example for academy players”.
Stats
Real Madrid 5 : 1 Real Betis
▪ xG: 2.9 – 0.84
▪ xThreat: 2.26 – 0.92
▪ Possession: 61.1% – 38.9%
▪ Field Tilt: 58.5% – 41.5%
▪ Def Action Height: 40.7 – 37.9Donations https://t.co/nlgfzDqYhs pic.twitter.com/nwiB0gQypi
— markstats bot (@markstatsbot) January 4, 2026
Conclusion
Real Madrid’s 2026 began with a statement. When the system is allowed to breathe without compensatory workarounds. Alonso’s football is devastatingly effective.
García’s performance, impeccable in its simplicity and discipline. Sometimes it requires a proper number 9, intelligent, diligent, and aligned with the collective vision.
