Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu offered Real Madrid a more convincing evening before the Clásico, although the familiar argument over refereeing travelled alongside the football. José Mourinho’s reshaped side defeated Sevilla 4-1, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice and Arda Güler setting the early tone in a match that also brought a fierce visiting protest over key decisions.
A changed Madrid take control
Real Madrid had been under scrutiny for both their recent performances and the noise surrounding officiating, but the adjustment of the starting side gave them a clearer shape. Federico Valverde moved to right-back and Güler was afforded a more central creative role, while Mbappé was the defining attacking presence.
Sevilla, led by Luis García Plaza, arrived in good form and started with purpose. Robbie Ure headed their first notable opening into the hands of Thibaut Courtois, while Rubén Vargas later fired into the side netting. Madrid gradually imposed themselves, however, and finished with 65 per cent possession, eight shots on target from 15 attempts, and a degree of control which limited the Andalusians for long periods.
How the match unfolded
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Sevilla had early moments through Ure and Vargas, but Madrid began to find room in transition. Endrick tested Odysseas Vlachodimos from distance and Valverde struck a first-time effort which hit Mbappé.
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In the 23rd minute, Güler and Peque clashed as the Turkish midfielder attempted to shake off his marker. Peque stayed down after contact to the face, with Sevilla calling for punishment. Referee Busquets Ferrer and the VAR, overseen by Cuadra Fernández, did not issue a card for the incident.
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Madrid opened the scoring on the half-hour. Diomande worked down the left and pulled the ball back for Güler, whose first-time left-foot finish flew into the top corner beyond Vlachodimos.
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Mbappé doubled the lead seven minutes later. Jude Bellingham’s back-heel released the French forward, who turned, took on the goalkeeper and finished after an individual piece of skill.
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Courtois made an important low save from Lucien Agoumé shortly before the interval, preserving Madrid’s two-goal advantage. Sevilla also felt Güler should have been sent off for the earlier contact with Peque.
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Ejuke replaced Vargas at half-time and gave Sevilla more thrust. Yet Madrid continued to press for a third, and an appeal for a penalty after Endrick went down following contact with Castrín was rejected by both the referee and VAR.
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Sevilla came close through Félix Correia, whose effort from Juan Iglesias’ cross was blocked by Valverde. At the other end, Diomande sent a finish wide after breaking into the area.
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Madrid won a penalty in the 61st minute when Mbappé met Diomande’s through ball and was brought down by Castrín. Mbappé converted with a Panenka-style finish to make it 3-0.
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Manu Bueno and Stassin entered for Peque and Robbie Ure, and the visitors found a response. Bueno first sent a free effort narrowly past the post, then struck a left-footed shot into the far bottom corner in the 80th minute.
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The comeback lasted only moments. Diomande cut in from the wing after receiving Aurélien Tchouaméni’s pass and hammered a shot from outside the box past Vlachodimos to restore Madrid’s three-goal margin.
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Madrid saw out the closing stages with further substitutions, bringing on Eduardo Camavinga, Bernardo Silva, Brahim, Éder Militão and Carlos Espí. Sevilla introduced Carmona and Alfon but could not create another opening of consequence.
Sevilla’s complaint after the final whistle
Juan Iglesias voiced Sevilla’s frustration after the game, arguing that the result had been shaped by the officiating. He pointed first to the Güler-Peque incident before Madrid’s opening goal, and then to an alleged foul on Robbie Ure before Diomande’s late strike.
“The match was decided by decisions that were made,” Iglesias said. “For the first goal, we believe there was an assault on Peque. We watched it at half-time and, in my view, it was an assault. For their second goal there was a foul on Robbie Ure which was not replayed. We knew what we were coming into, although we also have to be self-critical. Certain decisions defined the match.”
Mbappé was Madrid’s standout player, while Chidera Ejuke emerged as Sevilla’s most dangerous outlet after his introduction. The visitors registered 11 efforts, five of them on target, but Courtois’ save from Agoumé and Madrid’s superior efficiency in the final third left García Plaza’s team with a heavy defeat.
Selection picture in the capital
Mourinho had been without Ferland Mendy, Raúl Asencio and Rodrygo because of injury, while Vinícius was suspended. His starting XI featured Courtois; Valverde, Ibrahima Konaté, Dean Huijsen and Marc Cucurella; Tchouaméni and Güler; Diomande, Bellingham, Mbappé and Endrick.
Sevilla travelled without Marcao, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Guridi and Miguel Sierra through fitness issues, with Isaac Romero suspended. Vlachodimos started behind Juan Iglesias, Castrín, Kike Salas and captain Gabriel Suazo, with Agoumé and Fofana in midfield and Ure leading the line.
Before kick-off, García Plaza had said his fifth-placed side believed in its work and hoped to take something from a demanding visit, while warning that Madrid had shown against Roma what they could do. Mourinho, meanwhile, acknowledged fatigue in his squad but insisted that Madrid could call on alternatives against a Sevilla side he regarded as difficult opponents.
The Bernabéu, with an approximate capacity of 81,000, now turns its attention towards the Clásico. Madrid head there with a second successive LaLiga victory, improved attacking fluency and no shortage of debate still following them through the Spanish capital.
