Real Madrid continued their quest to end the season on a high in La Liga, after defeating Sevilla 1-0 at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
Before the match, the focus was mainly on Kylian Mbappe's return to the starting lineup after recent clashes with the home fans, but on the pitch, his Brazilian attacking partner, Vinicius Junior, proved decisive.
In a match that was often tense but never quite managed to ignite, Vinicius produced the moment of quality that separated the two teams.
The goal came in the 15th minute, when the Brazilian scored from inside the area, his 22nd goal of the season in all competitions. It was a precise finish that cemented a period of Real Madrid dominance, although the action was not without controversy.
During the build-up to the attack, Mbappe's elbow struck a Sevilla defender in the face, prompting protests from the home team, who called for a foul. However, the referees allowed play to continue and Vinicius made no mistake with his shot.
From that moment on, Madrid relied on defensive security, a quality that has helped them remain unbeaten in the last 27 league matches when they have scored first.
Mbappe's return to the starting line-up was mixed. The Frenchman was given a start just days after being booed by his own fans during the win over Real Oviedo. He showed some class, including a brilliant backheel that almost turned into an assist for Aurelien Tchouameni, but overall he had a disappointing evening in front of goal.
His most important contribution was his indirect role in the first goal, where his physical presence disrupted the balance of Sevilla's defense before the ball ended up in Vinicius' path.
The former Paris Saint-Germain star thought he had doubled Real's lead in the second half when he curled the ball past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net, but the celebrations were cut short by the winger's flag for offside. The 27-year-old missed two big chances, failed to register a single shot on target from five attempts, lost the ball 15 times and won just two of his ten duels on the ground. It was a performance that showed his struggles, despite Madrid's victory.
In the end, Real Madrid also had Thibaut Courtois. Despite Sevilla's low position in the standings, the home team pushed hard for an equalizer in the final minutes and forced the Belgian goalkeeper to make several important saves. Courtois was especially decisive against Kike Salas, deflecting a powerful shot over the crossbar, as Sevilla pushed everything forward.
The Andalusian team did not find the necessary composure in the final to break the Madrid defense, but despite the loss, they secured survival, after Atletico Madrid defeated Girona, which is in 18th place, earlier in the day.
The match ended with a series of furious corners for Sevilla, but Courtois remained unstoppable and secured Real Madrid's second consecutive victory in the championship for the first time since March.
Although this victory does not change the standings in La Liga, as Barcelona have officially secured the title after winning 2-0 in “El Clásico”, it does serve to the pride of Real Madrid. “Los Blancos” are 11 points behind Barcelona, but are guaranteed second place ahead of city rivals, Atletico Madrid. Real will end the season on May 23, at home to Athletic Club. /GazetaExpress/
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