Real Madrid clinched second place in La Liga with a routine 2-0 victory over already-relegated Oviedo on Thursday, a fixture that encapsulated the contrasting emotions swirling around the Spanish giants. The win mathematically secured runner-up status behind champions Barcelona, rendering the club’s final two matches—away to Sevilla and at home to Athletic Bilbao—academic. But beneath the surface, the evening at the Santiago Bernabéu was marked by the return of Kylian Mbappé from a hamstring injury and a hostile reception from a section of the home support.
The match came just days after Real Madrid effectively conceded the title by losing the Clásico 2-0 at Barcelona. That defeat left Carlo Ancelotti’s side 14 points adrift with four games remaining, dashing any lingering hopes of a late championship push. With the Liga crown gone, the primary objective shifted to cementing second place, which carries significant financial implications in UEFA prize-money distribution and ensures a smoother path in the Champions League draw. Thursday’s triumph achieved that goal with minimal fuss.
Manager Álvaro Arbeloa, standing in for the suspended Ancelotti, opted to rest Mbappé from the start, continuing the cautious approach to his recovery from the hamstring problem that had sidelined him for two matches. Instead, the midfield was anchored by Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga, both of whom were handed starting roles. The first half, however, unfolded as an exercise in possession without penetration. Real Madrid controlled the tempo but struggled to carve open a stubborn Oviedo defense that sat deep and absorbed pressure.
Chances were scarce until the closing stages of the half. Vinícius Júnior, deployed on the left, began to exert influence, delivering a teasing cross that Tchouaméni could not convert properly in the 40th minute. Two minutes later, the Brazilian tested goalkeeper Aaron Escandell with a low drive, but the breakthrough arrived in the 44th minute. Álvaro Carreras won the ball on the left flank, fed Brahim Díaz, who slipped a pass into Gonzalo Garcia. The forward spun sharply inside the area and curled a precise right-footed shot beyond Escandell to give Real the lead. It was Garcia’s first goal of the season and a rare moment of clinical finishing.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Real Madrid managing the game comfortably and Oviedo offering little threat—registering just one shot on target all evening. The visitors, already condemned to relegation, lacked the quality to mount any serious pressure, allowing the hosts to conserve energy. Yet the match’s most poignant narrative unfolded in the 69th minute, when Mbappé replaced goalscorer Garcia. His introduction was met with a chorus of jeers from a faction of the Santiago Bernabéu crowd, reflecting a growing tension between the French superstar and a segment of the fanbase.
Reports have emerged that an online petition demanding the club sell Mbappé has gathered momentum, fueled by perceptions of underwhelming performances since his high-profile arrival. The boos were impossible to ignore and cast a shadow over what should have been a positive step in his recovery. Unperturbed, Mbappé set about silencing the critics in the only way he knows—on the pitch. In the dying minutes, he showcased his class by receiving the ball in a tight space and, with a deft first-time pass, releasing Jude Bellingham. The English midfielder drilled a left-footed strike into the far corner, netting his 12th league goal of the campaign and sealing the 2-0 scoreline.
While Mbappé’s assist provided a flicker of his immense talent, the broader context of his whistles raises questions about his long-term future at the club. The petition and fan frustration appear rooted in unmet expectations—Mbappé has scored 14 league goals in 28 appearances, a respectable tally but below the stratospheric standards set during his Paris Saint-Germain years. Some supporters view his occasional lack of defensive work-rate as a symbol of the team’s disjointed season, despite Real’s run to the Champions League semifinals.
Meanwhile, Camavinga’s situation offered another subplot. The midfielder, who delivered a steady but unspectacular 90 minutes, learned earlier in the week that he was omitted from France’s squad for the upcoming World Cup—a decision that surprised many given his pedigree. His performance against Oviedo did little to alter the narrative of a player caught between promise and necessity at club level.
With second place now secure, Real Madrid enter a de facto preseason period. The trips to Sevilla and Bilbao will likely be used to rotate the squad, give fringe players minutes, and protect key figures like Mbappé and Vinícius from injury ahead of a summer of transition. For Oviedo, the immediate future lies in the second tier, but the experience of competing at the Bernabéu will serve as a benchmark for players hoping to return to the top flight.
Ultimately, this match epitomized Real Madrid’s season: patches of quality interspersed with a palpable sense of underachievement. The title was lost in the spring, and while securing second place avoids the indignity of dropping lower, it is a poor consolation for a club that measures success in trophies. Mbappé’s brief cameo—a goal contribution amid a hostile atmosphere—mirrors the duality of his own campaign. As the curtain falls on a disappointing domestic season, attention now turns to the Champions League, where Real’s reputation for European magic may yet salvage the year.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.
