Real Madrid ended the LaLiga season at the Bernabéu with a win against Athletic
Real Madrid concluded their appearance in the 38th round of LaLiga and ended the season in front of their home crowd with a 4:2 victory against Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, in an efficient match with plenty of attacking content. According to LaLiga's official match report, the Madrid team celebrated with goals from Gonzalo García, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Brahim Díaz, while the scorers for the Bilbao side were Gorka Guruzeta and Urko Izeta. The match was played on May 23, 2026 at 9 p.m., and the official competition data state that 70,398 spectators attended the fixture. Real Madrid opened the match better, maintained the lead through most of the encounter and ultimately avoided late uncertainty, although Athletic twice came back with goals near the end of each half. For the home side, it was a successful end to the league campaign in terms of the result, but also an evening which, according to reports from Spanish and club sources, had a broader context because of the farewell of several important figures in the team.
An early goal shaped the match
LaLiga's official match flow shows that Real Madrid took the lead as early as the 12th minute, when Gonzalo García scored with his right foot from the middle of the penalty area after an assist from Dani Carvajal. That goal determined the rhythm of the first half because the home side gained space for calmer attacking organization, while Athletic had to take more risks in building play. In the opening phase, Real used width and quick entries toward the final third, while Athletic, despite the early deficit, kept the ambition to threaten the home defense through quick transitions. According to official data, the visitors had already had an attempt through Guruzeta in the 3rd minute, which shows that the match was not one-way even before the first goal. Still, the Madrid team punished open spaces better and reached the finishing phase more precisely.
Real Madrid increased their lead in the 41st minute, when Jude Bellingham scored for 2:0 after an assist from Thiago Pitarch. The goal came at a moment when the home side looked more stable and controlled the central part of the pitch, but Athletic showed before the break why a match against them can rarely be considered closed. In first-half stoppage time, Gorka Guruzeta reduced the score to 2:1 after an assist from Iñaki Williams, and LaLiga's official report described that goal as the finish of a counterattack. In this way, the visiting team changed the impression of the first half: Real still had the lead, but Athletic went into the dressing room with a result that left them the possibility of a comeback. That detail gave the match additional liveliness because the second half began with the scoreline still open.
Mbappé restored security, Brahim Díaz confirmed the victory
The second half began with a substitution in Athletic's ranks, and already in the 51st minute Real Madrid once again went two goals ahead. Kylian Mbappé scored from distance after an assist from Álvaro Carreras, making it 3:1 for Real and restoring control over the match. That goal was important not only because of the score but also because of its psychological effect, as it came immediately after Athletic had got back into contention near the end of the first half. According to LaLiga's report, Mbappé had also had an attempt from outside the penalty area before the goal, confirming that after the break the home team continued to seek shots from zones where Athletic were leaving space. Real played with greater confidence in that phase, while Athletic gradually had to think more and more about substitutions and freshness in attack.
In the 88th minute, Brahim Díaz scored Real Madrid's fourth goal and practically settled the question of the winner. Athletic reduced the score to the final 4:2 through Urko Izeta in the 91st minute, but there was no longer enough time for a complete comeback. The closing stage thus confirmed the basic picture of the duel: Real Madrid were more efficient and used the key moments better, while Athletic showed fighting spirit and attacking persistence, but failed to stabilize their defense in the decisive parts of the match. Six goals in the final round gave the fixture an attractive frame, but the coaching staffs of both teams will also have plenty of material for analysis. The home side can be satisfied with their finishing and reaction after conceding goals, while Athletic paid the price for weaker control of the space in front of their own goal.
An evening with competitive and emotional layers
According to reports from specialized media that follow Real Madrid, the match also had an emotional tone because of the farewells of Dani Carvajal and David Alaba, as well as the end of Álvaro Arbeloa's tenure on the bench. Managing Madrid reported that Carvajal was Real Madrid's captain and that his departure from the game was accompanied by ovations, while the club's official website particularly highlighted his assist for the opening goal. Such a context gave the match a different weight from an ordinary last-round fixture, because alongside the result there was also the symbolism of the end of a period for part of the dressing room. Carvajal's assist for 1:0 therefore had added value: it was not only a technically important move in the match but also a moment that marked his farewell in front of the fans. Alaba's appearance also received a special place at the end of the season, especially after a period in which he had problems with a knee injury.
Álvaro Arbeloa, according to the same reports, concluded his period on Real Madrid's bench with a match that, in terms of result and atmosphere, had the character of a final chapter. Although such matches are often played with less competitive pressure, Real performed seriously enough to close the season with a victory, which is important for the impression ahead of the summer transfer period. LaLiga's report states that the home side started in a 4-4-2 system, while Athletic played in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and those initial setups influenced the way the teams faced each other in midfield. Real had enough players between the lines to attack through combinations, while Athletic tried to use Williams's speed and Guruzeta's presence in the penalty area. Ultimately, the home side had more precision in finishing, which was decisive in a match with a high number of chances.
What the result means for the end of the season
According to the available standings after the 38th round, Real Madrid finished the season in second place, behind Barcelona, while Athletic Club remained in the middle of the table. Barcelona had secured the championship title earlier, as reported by the Associated Press after their victory in the direct duel against Real Madrid, so the final round did not carry a title battle. For Real Madrid, therefore, the duel against Athletic primarily meant the conclusion of the season in front of their own fans and an opportunity to finish the campaign on a winning note. Considering the status of the club and the expectations that follow it, second place in LaLiga cannot be viewed as complete success, but a convincing victory in the final appearance at least softened the final impression. The summer months will therefore be a period of squad assessment, coaching decisions and preparation for the new season for the Madrid club.
For Athletic Club, the defeat at the Bernabéu confirmed a season in which the team failed to find enough stability to join the fight for a higher placement. The Bilbao side showed in Madrid that it can create dangerous situations, especially through quick transitions and crosses, but defensively it left too much space to Real's quality individuals. Guruzeta's goal near the end of the first half and Izeta's goal in stoppage time are proof that Athletic did not give up even in an unfavorable scoreline. Still, when four goals are conceded against a team with Real's attacking potential, the positive details can hardly outweigh the problem of defensive balance. For Athletic's coach and coaching staff, such an end to the season offers clear guidelines: the team must maintain its intensity, but at the same time reduce the number of situations in which the opponent gets shots too easily.
Key details from the official match report
According to LaLiga's official match report, the referee was Juan Martínez Munuera, and the fixture was played at the Bernabéu in front of just over 70 thousand spectators. Real Madrid started with Thibaut Courtois in goal, and the starting lineup also included Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Raúl Asencio, Álvaro Carreras, Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Franco Mastantuono, Thiago Pitarch, Kylian Mbappé and Gonzalo García. Athletic, according to the same source, played in a 4-2-3-1 system, and during the match introduced players such as Andoni Gorosabel, Íñigo Lekue, Alejandro Rego and Urko Izeta. It is particularly interesting that the first home goal came after Carvajal's assist, while the second came from Pitarch's pass to Bellingham. Such a distribution of roles shows a combination of experience and young options that were given space at the end of the season.
The disciplinary part of the match also had several important details. LaLiga states that Thiago Pitarch and Jude Bellingham received yellow cards in the first half, which affected the way they had to continue the duel. Athletic had their period of pressure, especially through Guruzeta, Roberto Navarro and Iñaki Williams, but they did not manage to remain in balance on the scoreboard for longer. Real Madrid, on the other hand, managed after every visiting goal to avoid panic and reimpose the rhythm that suited them. In a match of the final round, that is often the difference between formally fulfilling an obligation and seriously closing the season.
Attacking efficiency as the best part of Real's evening
The most important football conclusion of the match concerns Real Madrid's efficiency in finishing. Four different scorers create the picture of a team that did not depend on only one solution, but threatened from several zones and through several player profiles. Gonzalo García scored as a forward attacking space in the penalty area, Bellingham once again showed the value of arriving from the second line, Mbappé used a shot from outside, and Brahim Díaz confirmed the victory near the end. Such diversity is important for every team that wants to be competitive in the long term, because it makes preparation and defensive adaptation more difficult for opponents. Against Athletic, that was clearly visible: every time the visitors tried to close one channel, Real found another way to get to goal.
Athletic, despite the defeat, can single out their reaction after falling behind and the fact that they tried to play forward until the end. However, the visiting team did not manage to keep the match long enough in a phase in which Real Madrid would become nervous. Guruzeta's goal in the 45th minute was an ideal moment to change the dynamic, but Mbappé's goal at the start of the second half quickly interrupted that momentum. Izeta's late goal gave the final score a more realistic picture of Athletic's attacking presence, but not the impression that the home side's victory was seriously threatened in the closing minutes. Real Madrid therefore closed the season with a victory which, although it does not change the broader picture of the standings, confirms the attacking quality and individual depth of the squad.
Sources:
- LALIGA – official match report for Real Madrid - Athletic Club, result, scorers, match time, stadium, spectators, lineups and course of the match (link)
- Real Madrid CF – official first-team page and club materials about the closing stage of the match, including the highlighting of Carvajal's assist and Bellingham's goal (link)
- Associated Press – report that Barcelona had earlier secured the Spanish championship title in the 2025/2026 season (link)
- Goal.com – 2025/2026 LaLiga table with the clubs' standings after the closing stage of the season (link)
- Managing Madrid – match report and the context of the farewells of Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Álvaro Arbeloa (link)