Real Madrid closed out a disappointing domestic season with a commanding 4-2 victory over Athletic Club, delivering a memorable sendoff for club legend Dani Carvajal at the Bernabéu. The match proved a fitting finale to a campaign marked by transition, as the Spanish giants honoured their departing defenders while showcasing the attacking prowess of their summer signings.
The occasion centred on Carvajal, who made his final appearance as captain after a career spanning decades at the Bernabéu. The South Stand displayed a powerful tifo featuring Alfredo Di Stéfano alongside a young Carvajal, bearing the inscription: "The dream of a child, the triumph of a legend." True to his nature, the veteran right-back did not merely attend the ceremony—he contributed a precise diagonal pass that found Gonzalo García, whose emphatic volley opened the scoring in the opening stages. It was a moment that encapsulated exactly what the Madrid faithful will miss from one of the final remaining links to the club's six Champions League triumphs.
Bellingham and Mbappe Find the Net
Jude Bellingham extended Real Madrid's advantage with a well-taken volley after latching onto a delicate chip from Thiago Pitarch, prompting the familiar "Hey Jude" chants to echo through the stadium. Kylian Mbappé had an uneven evening, initially receiving whistles from sections of the crowd following recent controversy, yet the French forward ultimately won over doubters by scoring in the second half. Receiving possession on the area's edge, he turned sharply and curled a low drive into the corner, celebrating with restraint as he embraced departing coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
Athletic Club, already assured of safety in La Liga, posed genuine threats throughout. Iñaki Williams' dangerous cross found Gorka Guruzeta, who finished clinically just before half-time to make it 2-1. Robert Navarro went close to equalising in the second half, while Urko Izeta added Athletic's second goal. Brahim rounded off Real Madrid's scoring with a fourth, assisted again by Thiago. Ernesto Valverde, the Basque side's legendary manager, used the closing minutes to give Iñaki Lekue a final appearance, ensuring his departing players received recognition.
The final whistle brought emotional scenes as the crowd rose to honour both Carvajal and David Alaba, the Austrian centre-back whose injury-plagued Madrid tenure came to an end. Both sets of players formed a guard of honour as fans held aloft white chairs—a tribute to Alaba's iconic celebration from the PSG comeback. Despite the celebratory atmosphere, Real Madrid's domestic campaign disappointed relative to expectations, making this emphatic finish a small consolation ahead of the new season's fresh challenges.
