LaLiga
Real Madrid gives departing stars winning send-off
Alvaro Arbeloa's tenure at Real Madrid ended with a win as Gonzalo Garcia, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz got the goals in a 4-2 win against Athletic Club.… Show More
Alvaro Arbeloa's tenure at Real Madrid ended with a win as Gonzalo Garcia, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz got the goals in a 4-2 win against Athletic Club.
In what was an emotional match at Estadio Bernabeu, with Dani Carvajal and David Alaba also calling time on their Los Blancos careers, Madrid ensured it finished what has been a disappointing LaLiga campaign with a comfortable victory.
Carvajal's 451st and final appearance for Madrid could not have started any better, with the veteran full-back curling a sensational pass into the path of Garcia, who took a touch before opening the scoring in the 12th minute.
The hosts then doubled their lead four minutes before half-time through Bellingham, who crashed a left-footed volley past Alex Padilla after Thiago Pitarch's lofted pick out.
However, Athletic hit back in first-half stoppage-time in some style, with Gorka Guruzeta brilliantly firing Inaki Williams' cross into the bottom-left corner with a first-time finish.
But Madrid restored its two-goal cushion six minutes after the restart when Mbappe collected Alvaro Carreras's pass before cutting inside and finding the bottom-right corner.
Arbeloa's side continued to push for a fourth goal, with Mbappe thwarted at the near post by Padilla just moments after the visiting goalkeeper had made a fine stop with his chest to repel Bellingham's stinging strike from the edge of the box.
The home fans were on their feet when Alaba was substituted in the 70th minute before Carvajal received a guard of honour from both sets of players after being replaced late on, but there was still time for two more goals as Brahim's 88th-minute finish was followed up by Urko Izeta's header in second-half stoppage-time.
