Real Madrid brought the curtain down on a tumultuous 2024-25 campaign with a cathartic 4-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, a match that served as a send-off for several club icons while offering a flicker of optimism amid the chaos. The win, which pushed Los Blancos to 86 points—two more than the previous season—provided a rare moment of serenity after weeks of in-house turmoil, including an alleged physical altercation between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde and a notoriously fiery press conference from president Florentino Perez, who lambasted media narratives and criticized squad mentality.
The evening was steeped in emotion long before kickoff as fans unfurled a tifo reading “The triumph of a legend” for right-back Dani Carvajal, who took the pitch for his final appearance in the famous white shirt. Visibly moved to tears during the pre-match ceremony, the veteran channeled that sentiment into a decisive contribution when he fed Gonzalo Garcia for the opening goal after just 12 minutes. Carvajal’s pinpoint pass from the right flank cut through the Bilbao defense, allowing Garcia to slot home and ignite the tributes. When Carvajal was substituted to a standing ovation in the 84th minute, the stadium rose as one, acknowledging a career that yielded multiple Champions League titles and a reputation as one of the club’s most loyal servants.
Not to be outdone, center-back David Alaba also bid adieu earlier in the half, exiting in the 70th minute to an equally thunderous reception. The Austrian, whose contract expires this summer, was embraced by teammates and coaches, leaving the pitch with a smile that reflected his three seasons of service. His departure, alongside Carvajal’s, marks the end of a defensive era that defined Madrid’s recent resilience, and the club now faces a critical summer rebuild to fill those leadership voids.
On the pitch, Jude Bellingham provided the night’s aesthetic highlight with a superbly taken second goal just before the interval. The English midfielder collected a visionary through-ball from Thiago Pitarch, executed a silky turn to evade his marker, and curled an unstoppable finish into the far corner. It was a moment of individual brilliance that underlined Bellingham’s transformative impact in his debut season, though it was soon tempered when Bilbao’s Gorka Guruzeta pounced on a loose ball to make it 2-1 in first-half stoppage time, giving the visitors a lifeline.
The second half belonged to Kylian Mbappé, who restored the two-goal cushion six minutes after the restart with a characteristically lethal strike from just outside the area. The French forward, who had cut a frustrated figure at times this term, picked up a short pass, shifted the ball onto his right foot, and unleashed a low drive that nestled inside the post. That goal, his 25th in La Liga, confirmed his status as the league’s top scorer for the second consecutive season—a Pichichi trophy that provides a silver lining to an otherwise underwhelming collective campaign.
The scoring wasn’t finished, however, as substitute Brahim Diaz tapped in a fourth goal in the 90th minute after a flowing move, only for Bilbao’s Izeta to pull one back almost immediately from the restart, exposing Madrid’s chronic defensive lapses even in victory. The 4-2 scoreline flattered the hosts somewhat, but it ensured a winning farewell for interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who had announced on Friday that this would be his final match in charge. The former Liverpool defender, who stepped up during a turbulent spell, departs with his head held high after navigating a dressing room rife with tension.
Arbeloa’s exit, combined with the departures of Carvajal and Alaba, signals a broader reset at the Bernabéu as Perez looks to steer the club back toward its winning ways. The intense media scrutiny that followed Perez’s confrontational press briefing last month—where he accused certain players of lacking commitment—has laid bare the fractures within the squad, and the summer transfer window will be pivotal in determining whether Real Madrid can reclaim domestic and European dominance.
For now, though, the focus rests on the emotional farewells and Mbappé’s individual accolade. The Frenchman’s Pichichi represents a personal triumph in a season where little else went according to plan, and it offers a foundation upon which the next chapter can be built. As the Bernabéu crowd lingered to applaud its departing heroes, the overriding sentiment was one of gratitude mixed with hope—hope that the bitter lessons of this campaign will forge a stronger, more united side for the challenges ahead.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.