The year that Mbappé equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 59 goals with a penalty was also the year in which Real Madrid caused falling out of love with the Bernabéu with a thunderous drop in tension. The climax occurred when Vinicius was substituted accompanied by a generous whistle, as long as it lengthened the walk to the bench, with the same reluctance with which the team faced the 2025 farewell against Sevilla. The counterpoint was provided by Xabi Alonso, who two months after the classic rudeness was waiting for him in the band applauding under the whistles. They hugged when they were already playing against ten and were still 1-0, supported by another marvelous collection of saves from Courtois, under general discontent. Then came the Frenchman’s record goal and Madrid went to sleep just one point behind Barcelona, who visit Villarreal today.
2
Thibaut Courtois, Antonio Rüdiger, Raúl Asencio (David Jiménez, min. 93), Dean Huijsen, Fran García, Arda Güler (Eduardo Camavinga, min. 71), Aurélien Tchouaméni, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior (Gonzalo García, min. 82) and Rodrygo
0
Odysseas Vlachodimos, Gabriel Suazo (Oso, min. 59), Nemanja Gudelj, Juanlu Sánchez, José Ángel Carmona (Kike Salas, min. 83), Marcão, Djibril Sow, Batista Mendy (Alfon González, min. 83), Lucien Agoumé (Adnan Januzaj, min. 83), Isaac Romero (Peque Fernández, min. 69) and Alexis Sanchez
Goals
1-0 min. 37: Jude Bellingham. 2-0 min. 85: Kylian Mbappe
Referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz
yellow cards
José Ángel Carmona (min. 33), Almeyda (min. 34), Marcao (min. 36), Rodrygo (min. 40), Raúl Asencio (min. 59), Lucien Agoume (min. 69), Djibril Sow (min. 90)
red cards
Almeyda (min. 48), Marcao (min. 67)
The Bernabéu has not liked what it has seen these weeks. He also didn’t like what he saw on the last night of the year. Another drop in tension, with paced play and inaccuracies everywhere. Huijsen moved as if he had not yet taken off his pajamas. He failed controls, he was about to fall when he stepped on the ball. He turned with the industriousness of a ship docking and Isaac Romero had time to steal the ball from him, or cause him to lose it. His maneuvers in the exit of a ball that did not come out triggered the first whistles from the stands, a growing accompaniment.
Fran García did not make simple passes. Neither does Asencio. Even Mbappé sounded out of tune after flying over the waves that swept everyone away. He missed controls, he couldn’t hit simple downloads. They walked, from time to time spurred on by the whistles, which appeared when the Madrid players watched from a distance as Marcao, Gudelj and Carmona passed the ball to each other and weaved from behind to try to find Isaac Romero and Alexis Sánchez at the top.
Almeyda had set up a tight network with five defenders and two forwards hoping to extract something from some solitary adventure. The rearguard barely suffered, very little demanded by a Madrid between apathy and disorientation. Upstairs they were leaving disturbing notices. Romero stood alone against Courtois and sent out a chipped shot. The Bernabéu was outraged and Bellingham felt the call of duty and took charge of the ball. He ran with it, he distributed it. He was consumed by a solitary endeavor, sometimes accompanied by outbursts from Vinicius. If a team is a constellation, Real was the night of San Lorenzo, the uncertain hope that a shooting star will light up. And grant a wish.
That came from above. Rodrygo placed a lateral free kick in the area and Bellingham, in full expansion efforts, scored with a header. But the goal didn’t change anything. Madrid maintained its reluctance and Sevilla continued to find Isaac and Alexis. The absence of defensive tension made the stands desperate. And also Courtois, who began to find himself alone with forwards who reached him without a scratch. The Belgian accumulated borderline interventions.
Madrid moved on the wire without completely waking up. Although on the other side there was a moment, late in the game, when Mbappé seemed to remember that he had Cristiano’s record within reach. The Frenchman chained a shot outside, one into the hands of Vlahodimos and a rarity, a header against the crossbar.
That momentary glow was extinguished and the team returned to atony. Sevilla was left with ten when the referee showed Marcao the second yellow with more than 20 minutes left and Madrid continued at the pace as if they preferred nothing more to happen. The Bernabéu did not share the plan and resumed the whistles, while Sevilla emptied themselves looking for a tie with one less. Rodrygo dribbled into the area, Juanlu knocked him down and Mbappé reached the 59th goal. He celebrated it as CR. Of the little he left to celebrate New Year’s Eve. End of love.
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