Real Madrid crushed Sevilla 4-2 on Saturday, surpassing faltering rivals Barcelona to take second place in La Liga thanks to a spectacular goal from Kylian Mbappe and a goal set up by him.
Following Atletico Madrid’s victory over Barcelona on Saturday to secure the top spot at Christmas, Carlo Ancelotti’s team also capitalised with a resounding victory at home, dropping them one point behind the leaders.
Mbappe’s adaptation time after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer was over, according to Madrid coach Ancelotti, who made this claim before Sevilla’s visit.
The French forward proved the coach correct with a great performance and his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz also scored for the home team, and Fede Valverde scored a spectacular long-range attempt.
Sevilla scored goals through Dodi Lukebakio and Isaac Romero, but they were completely outplayed in the club’s final match against seasoned defender Jesus Navas.
In the tenth minute, Mbappe broke the tie when Madrid pulled the ball out from behind and worked it to Rodrygo on the left side.
On the boundary line, the Brazilian squared to Mbappe, who used one touch to gain possession, another to set himself up, and a third to smash a powerful effort past the defenceless Alvaro Fernandez.
Ten minutes later, Madrid scored an even greater goal through a short corner move that saw Valverde scream into the top corner from more than thirty yards out.
With Ancelotti’s team in full swing, Rodrygo scored a brilliant finish after Lucas Vazquez’s cross in the 34th minute.
After excellent work by Dodi Lukebakio, Juanlu Sanchez’s cross was headed home by Romero as Sevilla responded within a minute.
In the second half, Sevilla came out firing, and Romero had a good chance to add a second but instead blasted straight at Thibaut Courtois.
With a brilliant cross-through from Mbappe that Diaz finished clinically, Madrid instead extended their lead.
Navas, who made his 705th and final appearance for the team, was cheered on by the Santiago Bernabeu more than any other player when Sevilla brought him on after the hour.
At the beginning of the match, the retiring Spanish great, a 2010 World Cup winner and two-time European champion, was given a guard of honour by the Madrid and Sevilla players.
Although Navas, 39, won two Copa del Rey trophies and four Europa Leagues with Sevilla, the Andalusians were outplayed in the Spanish capital, and his farewell appearance ended in disappointment.
As Madrid sought a fifth goal, Mbappe approached the goalie and sent the ball back to his Brazilian attack partner, but Fernandez made a save from Rodrygo.
Sevilla rallied late thanks to a goal from Lukebakio, and Madrid ended an outstanding season—winning both the Spanish and European titles—with a strong showing.
