With approximately five minutes remaining in the second half, Rodrygo was fouled by right-back Juanlu Sanchez in the penalty area, earning Real a spot-kick. Mbappe, celebrating his 27th birthday that night, scored his 59th goal of 2025, equaling the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013. Mbappe then celebrated in his idol's signature "Siu" style.

However, this was a rare moment of solace on a somber New Year's Eve for Real fans. The match starkly highlighted the cooling relationship between Real and its supporters at the Bernabeu. This sentiment reached its peak when Vinicius left the field in the 83rd minute to resounding boos and prolonged whistles that followed the Brazilian forward's every weary step towards the dugout. This scene truly reflected the disjointed performance Xabi Alonso's team displayed in their final match of 2025 against Sevilla.

Mbappe dribbles during Real Madrid's 2-0 victory over Sevilla in La Liga's 17th round at the Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain on 20/12. Photo: Reuters

Alonso presented a stark contrast. Two months prior, at El Clasico, he substituted Vinicius, sparking rumors of internal rifts. On the evening of 20/12, the 44-year-old coach remained in the technical area, patiently applauding his players amidst a storm of criticism.

Alonso and Vinicius embraced after Sevilla's center-back Marcao received a second yellow card in the 68th minute, reducing them to 10 men. Despite the numerical advantage, Real still held a fragile 1-0 lead, thanks to Thibaut Courtois's usual spectacular saves. Mbappe's historic penalty in the 86th minute secured the 2-0 victory, allowing the home side to end 2025 just one point behind Barca, who lead La Liga and are set to visit Villarreal at 10:15 p.m. today (Hanoi time).

The Bernabeu crowd had grown weary of what they had witnessed in recent weeks, and the final match of the year was no exception. Real played without vitality, appearing to stroll through the game with misplaced passes across all positions. Dean Huijsen seemed as though he hadn't changed out of his pajamas, miscontrolling the ball and clumsily stumbling as he stepped on it.

The center-back moved slowly, like a ship attempting to dock, allowing Sevilla striker Isaac Romero to easily dispossess him or force him into errors. Huijsen's clumsy attempts to escape pressing in his own half sparked the initial whistles, which then spread, becoming a symphony of disapproval.

Bellingham and his teammates received criticism from home fans despite a 2-0 victory over Sevilla. Photo: Reuters

Left-back Fran Garcia repeatedly made errant passes, while center-back Asencio performed no better. Even Mbappe struggled after attempting to fight against the tide threatening to overwhelm the entire team. He allowed the ball to stray during controls and failed in even the simplest combinations.

The white-shirted players ambled across the field, only occasionally quickening their pace when boos erupted as they watched Marcao, Gudelj, and Carmona comfortably interchange passes, building play from the back to find Romero and Alexis Sanchez upfront.

Coach Matias Almeyda had deployed a dense defensive net with a 5-3-2 formation, patiently awaiting errors from the opponent. Sevilla's defense faced little pressure against a Real side teetering between indifference and disorientation. Conversely, upfront, Romero issued a potent warning when he faced Courtois, only to shoot wide.

The Bernabeu grew furious, and Bellingham felt the responsibility to respond. He dropped deep, carrying the ball himself. He ran, distributed, isolated, occasionally boosted by Vinicius's bursts of speed. If a team is a constellation, Real against Sevilla shone faintly. In the 38th minute, that faint light was enough to ignite a spark of hope. Rodrygo delivered a free-kick from the flank, and Bellingham, in a tireless effort, headed it in.

However, the goal did not change the nature of the game. Real continued to play sluggishly, while Sevilla consistently found space. The home defense's laxity drove the Bernabeu crowd to distraction, and even Courtois was helpless as he repeatedly faced opposing strikers directly. The Belgian goalkeeper had to exert himself with 5 saves in total, preventing an expected goals value of 1,07, including 3 shots from opponents inside the penalty area.

Real walked a tightrope but still refused to awaken. It was not until late in the match that Mbappe remembered he was close to Ronaldo's record. The French captain unleashed a shot that went wide of the post, another that went straight into goalkeeper Vlahodimos's hands, and a header that hit the crossbar.

That brief moment of brilliance faded, and Real once again succumbed to stagnation. Even with Sevilla reduced to 10 men, Alonso's players continued to dawdle as if they wanted the match to end immediately. The Bernabeu did not accept this, and boos erupted again as the Andalusian representatives pushed with all their might for an equalizer despite being a man down.