Real Madrid 2-0 Real Oviedo
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
Scorers: Gonzalo García (44′), Jude Bellingham (80′)
Real Madrid returned to winning ways on Thursday night with a 2-0 victory over already-relegated Real Oviedo, but the atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu was anything but celebratory. Following a stinging 2-0 El Clásico defeat to Barcelona just days ago, the Madrid faithful made their frustrations loud and clear, greeting their own stars with a chorus of boos despite the three points.
First Half: Gonzalo Breaks the Deadlock
Manager Álvaro Arbeloa opted for a rotated lineup, handing starts to David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga as the team looked to move past their weekend disappointment. The opening stages were sluggish, with Los Blancos struggling to find their rhythm against an Oviedo side already destined for the second tier.
The tension in the stands was palpable until the 44th minute. After Álvaro Carreras forced a turnover high up the pitch, Brahim Díaz displayed great vision to slide a pass to Gonzalo García. The young forward made no mistake, drilling a low strike into the bottom-right corner to give Madrid a narrow lead heading into the interval.
Second Half: Boos for Mbappe, Magic from Jude
The most talking point of the night came in the second half when Arbeloa introduced his “heavyweights” from the bench. Despite his return from a hamstring injury, Kylian Mbappé was met with deafening whistles and jeers from the home crowd—a stark reflection of the fans’ current dissatisfaction with the season’s performance.
However, the substitutes eventually silenced the noise with a moment of pure quality. In the 80th minute, Mbappé turned provider, laying the ball off to Jude Bellingham. The England international skipped past two defenders with ease before firing a powerful low shot past Aarón Escandell to seal the win.
While the victory provides some respite, the hostile reception for the players suggests that the wounds from the Clásico and a second consecutive season without a major trophy will take more than a win over Oviedo to heal.
