Real Madrid closed out 2025 with a workmanlike 2-0 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, a result that temporarily relieves pressure on manager Xabi Alonso and sees star forward Kylian Mbappé equal a historic club record. The match, a LaLiga EA Sports fixture from Matchday 17, was decided by a first-half strike from Jude Bellingham and a late penalty from Mbappé, who netted his 58th goal of the calendar year to match Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most goals in a single year for the club.
The build-up to the match was dominated by speculation over Alonso’s future following a rocky period that included a home defeat to Celta Vigo and a nervy 3-2 Copa del Rey win over third-division Talavera de la Reina. In his pre-match press conference, Alonso denied needing public backing from the club, insisting the team was united “from the president to the players.” His side responded with a controlled, if not entirely convincing, performance against a Sevilla team managed by Matías Almeyda, who later criticized the officiating.
Madrid’s injury woes continued to shape the lineup, with key defenders Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal, and Trent Alexander-Arnold still sidelined. Alonso fielded a back four featuring Fran García, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rüdiger, and Raúl Asencio, with Thibaut Courtois in goal. The breakthrough came in the 38th minute when Jude Bellingham, orchestrating the attack, found the net. Sevilla’s task grew harder when defender Marcão was sent off for a second yellow card in the 68th minute. The points were sealed in the 86th minute when Mbappé coolly converted a penalty, bringing him level with Ronaldo’s legendary mark.
The victory, Madrid’s third in a row across all competitions, keeps them in second place with 42 points, four behind leaders Barcelona. For Sevilla, the defeat leaves them ninth in the table with 20 points, their winless run at the Bernabéu stretching back to 2008. The match also highlighted the ongoing goal drought of Vinícius Júnior, who has now gone 14 games without scoring, a point Alonso addressed pre-game by expressing confidence the Brazilian’s form would return.
Ultimately, this was a match Real Madrid needed to win, and they did so efficiently. While questions about the team’s fluidity under Alonso remain, the three points and Mbappé’s historic moment provide a positive note to end the year. The focus now shifts to the winter break and the challenge of closing the gap on Barcelona when LaLiga resumes in 2026.