Real Madrid bounced back from their painful El Clasico defeat with a routine 2-0 win over relegated Real Oviedo in LaLiga Round 36 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday night.
The victory offered a measure of relief for interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa and the Madrid faithful after a disappointing campaign that will end without major silverware. However, the mood inside the Bernabeu remained uneasy throughout much of the contest.
Madrid dominated possession early on but struggled to break down a disciplined Oviedo side. Young striker Gonzalo Garcia looked the liveliest player for the hosts and nearly created an opener inside six minutes after setting up Franco Mastantuono, only for goalkeeper Aaron Escandell to produce a sharp save.
Summer signing Trent Alexander-Arnold also came close midway through the first half with a powerful long-range strike that narrowly missed the top corner as Madrid searched for a breakthrough.
Despite Madrid’s pressure, Oviedo threatened occasionally on the counterattack and almost stunned the hosts in the 38th minute when Nacho Vidal blasted over the bar from inside the box after slick build-up play.
Just when frustration was beginning to grow louder around the stadium, Garcia stepped up in the 44th minute. The 22-year-old forward received a clever pass from Brahim Diaz before turning sharply and curling a composed finish into the bottom-right corner for his fifth league goal of the season.
The goal eased tensions slightly, although Madrid still failed to fully convince after the break. Oviedo continued to battle despite their relegation already being confirmed, while veteran midfielder Santi Cazorla received a standing ovation from all corners of the Bernabeu after coming on in the second half.
The biggest talking point of the night arrived in the 69th minute when Kylian Mbappe replaced Garcia. Sections of the home support loudly booed the French superstar as he entered the pitch following recent criticism surrounding Madrid’s disappointing season.
Mbappe responded by trying to make an impact immediately, though every misplaced pass was met with whistles from the stands. The forward eventually silenced some of the criticism 10 minutes from time when he combined with Jude Bellingham for Madrid’s second goal.
Bellingham collected Mbappe’s pass outside the box before gliding past defenders and firing a low left-footed strike beyond Escandell to seal the victory in style.
Oviedo finally managed to trouble Thibaut Courtois late in the match when Haissem Hassan forced the Belgian goalkeeper into an impressive save, but Madrid comfortably saw out the closing stages.
The result keeps Madrid firmly in second place in LaLiga, although the campaign continues to be overshadowed by supporter frustration and uncertainty surrounding the club’s future direction.
For Oviedo, the defeat confirmed another difficult outing in a season that has already ended in relegation back to the second tier.
