Real Madrid can head to the Christmas table with peace of mind, having secured a 2–0 win yesterday against Sevilla. I would love to take you through everything I experienced during what was the final match of Xabi Alonso and his team in 2025.
The last game of the calendar year is always a special one for any team, coming so close to Christmas and New Year. For one person, the day was guaranteed to be magnifique anyway. Kylian Mbappé was celebrating his 27th birthday. He had the chance to give himself the perfect birthday present. The Frenchman was chasing a record as he could equal the 2013 tally of Cristiano Ronaldo who scored the most goals in a calendar year for Real Madrid. The record stood at 59 goals set 12 years ago. Mbappé needed one goal to draw level.
For the visitors from Andalusia, winning in the Spanish capital was never going to be easy. The Europa League record champions are no longer the powerhouse they were a few years ago, currently sitting 9th in the table. The last time they won at the Bernabéu was in 2008. So the history books are not in their favour.
On a personal note, I had an amazing opportunity . Through my internship at Real Madrid TV I had the chance to record stand ups and interview fans before the match. I also got to watch the game from right behind the goal in front of the White Wall, a truly unique experience.
With Real Madrid having won all 11 league matches in which they had scored first this season, the opening goal was always going to be crucial. Both sides soon rued a golden early chance within the first seven minutes. Rodrygo and Alexis Sánchez produced defence splitting passes but Fran García had his shot smothered by Odysseas Vlachodimos,. At the other lifterd Isaac Romero the ball over Thibaut Courtois only to watch it bounce agonisingly wide.
Although Sevilla put the hosts under plenty of pressure, the next clear chance fell to Mbappé ten minutes later when he flashed a shot across goal from a tight angle.
A goal felt inevitable and it finally came. In the 38th minute Rodrygo delivered a perfect free kick into the box and Jude Bellingham headed it into the far corner leaving Vlachodimos rooted to the spot. Moments later Sevilla almost equalised when former Barça and Arsenal player Alexis Sánchez attempted a bicycle kick, only for the ball to land on the roof of the net.
Early in the second half one thing became instantly clear. Mbappé was hunting for goals and for the record. He tried several shots and in the opening minutes Vlachodimos twice denied him.
Then the great Thibaut Courtois show began. My compatriot produced a series of sensational saves right in front of me. Chances from Isaac Romero and Alexis Sánchez brought Sevilla dangerously close to an equaliser but Courtois kept responding with world class stops. It was stunning to watch from that nearby. Neither Sánchez nor I could believe what we were seeing. The home side looked vulnerable for a moment but Sevilla defender Marcao helped them out by receiving his second yellow card in the 68th minute. The visitors had been well in the game but were now forced to play the rest with ten men.
Despite being a man down Sevilla kept the momentum for a long time but the hosts did not break. Rodrygo showed he is the man of the last weeks. First he headed a ball onto the crossbar and shortly after he initiated a brilliant run before being brought down by Juanlu Sánchez. Referee Alejandro Ruiz immediately pointed to the spot. Mbappé converted the penalty flawlessly and that goal brought him level with Cristiano.
He needed one more and the chance looked like it would come. Four minutes later Bellingham went down in the box and once again Ruiz awarded a penalty. But the joy did not last long. VAR intervened, called the referee to the monitor and the decision was overturned.
Real Madrid ultimately sealed a 2–0 victory over Sevilla, closing their final match of 2025 with a win. It was an important result considering the pressure Xabi Alonso has been facing. Birthday boy Mbappé finishes the year with the same number of goals as his childhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo, a perfect birthday gift.
Watching the match from so close was incredible and something I once only dreamed of. The fact that I was also able to learn so much for my future journalistic career made the experience even more special.
