Madrid put stress on their arch rivals.
Real Madrid moved within a point of Barcelona on the high of LaLiga as they noticed off Sevilla 2-0 on the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid had misplaced their final two residence video games, struggling defeats to Celta Vigo and Manchester Metropolis previous to away wins over Alaves and Talavera, the latter within the Copa del Rey.
And so they had been unconvincing for lengthy intervals in opposition to a Sevilla facet that shocked Barcelona earlier within the season and created loads of possibilities in Saturday’s tight encounter.
Jude Bellingham broke the impasse with a first-half header, and Madrid noticed a number of alternatives to increase the lead go begging.
The dismissal of Marcao for a second bookable offence made Madrid’s job simpler, and Kylian Mbappe’s late penalty made positive of the factors, his 59th Madrid objective in 2025 shifting him degree with Cristiano Ronaldo for essentially the most by a Los Blancos participant in a calendar yr.
Bellingham places Actual Madrid forward
Fran Garcia was denied by a wise Odysseas Vlachodimos save within the fourth minute earlier than Sevilla supplied an illustration of their menace when Isaac Romero lifted a end over Thibaut Courtois however huge of the right-hand publish.
Mbappe then fired throughout the face of objective and narrowly huge, however Bellingham’s good header had each energy and precision after he rose to fulfill Rodrygo’s free-kick from the suitable within the thirty eighth minute.
What seemed to be growing right into a irritating night for Mbappe continued early within the second half as he spurned a pair of possibilities to double the lead, and he had Courtois to thank for making certain his profligacy was not punished.
The Belgian twice denied the damaging Romero, earlier than Mbappe hit the crossbar with a looping header.
Courtois displayed his effective reflexes once more to show a long-range effort from Alexis Sanchez behind, however he had a quieter sport after Marcao acquired his second yellow for a foul on Bellingham.
In poor health-discipline would in the end be Sevilla’s undoing.
Mbappe makes historical past
Vlachodimos produced heroics to disclaim Rodrygo a surprising objective, the Brazilian’s turning volley tipped over by the Greece worldwide, but the on-loan Newcastle United goalkeeper was powerless to forestall Mbappe from settling issues.
Juan Sanchez tripped Rodrygo within the space and Mbappe tucked away the ensuing spot-kick with consummate ease as he made historical past by tying Ronaldo.
Madrid appeared to have one other penalty when Bellingham went over within the space, just for the referee’s authentic to be overturned following a VAR overview.
That was merely a footnote in a routine if unconvincing win for Madrid, who will now see if Villarreal can do them a favour once they face Barca on Sunday.
