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Real Madrid 4-2 Athletic Club

Real Madrid concluded their underwhelming 2025-26 campaign on a high, securing a 4-2 win over Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It turned out to be an emotional evening in Madrid, as Dani Carvajal and David Alaba both bid farewell to the club ahead of their summer departures. Carvajal played a pivotal role in the opening goal, threading a superb through ball that Gonzalo Garcia smashed into the net.

The home side doubled their lead later in the first half in impressive fashion. Thiago Pitarch lofted a delicate chip into the box, which Jude Bellingham met with a powerful volley to make it 2-0. However, Athletic pulled one back in first-half stoppage time through a well-taken strike from forward Gorka Guruzeta.

Just six minutes after the restart, Real Madrid restored their two-goal cushion. After receiving a pass from Alvaro Carreras, Kylian Mbappe cut inside onto his right foot and fired home his first goal in over a month. The Frenchman celebrated with head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who is also set to leave the club this summer.

Both Alaba and Carvajal were later substituted to rousing ovations from the Bernabeu crowd, who were on their feet again in the 88th minute when Brahim Diaz continued his recent good form by adding a fourth goal. Athletic managed to reduce the deficit again deep into stoppage time, with Urko Izeta finding the net to make it 4-2.

Although the season has been a major disappointment for Real Madrid, the club is determined to turn things around. Significant changes are expected during the summer, starting with the return of Jose Mourinho to the Santiago Bernabeu for his second stint as head coach, replacing Arbeloa after 13 years away.