Real Madrid signed off the 2024/25 campaign with a 2-0 victory at home against Real Sociedad on Saturday afternoon as Carlo Ancelotti bid farewell to the Bernabeu support for a second time.
Heading into their season finale already knowing that they would be forced to settle for a silver medal finish, it was attacking talisman Kylian Mbappe who stole all of the headlines here.
The France skipper opened the scoring in the 38th minute, firing home at the second attempt after his penalty had initially been saved, and grabbed his second of the afternoon in the final seven minutes.
While Los Blancos might sign off this season without a single piece of silverware to show for their troubles, they have won seven of their previous eight La Liga appearances and will get a new era underway next month.
In what was an emotional afternoon from the Spanish capital, we have taken a look at the main talking points from Saturday’s showdown.
Madrid give Ancelotti a warm send off
Falling to an infamous 4-3 defeat away in Catalonia on May 11th, it certainly felt that Ancelotti’s position in the Bernabeu dugout had become untenable and a change was needed.
Despite failing to secure a single piece of silverware this season and relinquishing their La Liga crown to their arch-rival, Madrid were desperate to hand the newly-appointed Brazil boss a warm send off here.
With Xabi Alonso’s tenure set to officially get underway next month, Ancelotti leaves the Spanish capital as one of Spain’s most successful managers after leading Madrid to 15 trophies during his two spells in charge.
Likewise, alongside Ancelotti’s Bernabeu exit, Saturday’s showdown in the Spanish capital would be the last time that Luka Modric would make a La Liga appearance for the Spanish icons.
Already confirming that he will leave Los Blancos following their FIFA Club World Cup campaign this summer, the former Ballon d’Or winner clinched 28 trophies, including six Champions Leagues and four domestic titles, since joining Real from Spurs in 2012.
Mbappe clinches the Golden Boot in his maiden campaign
While Los Blancos might have signed off the 2024/25 campaign without a single piece of silverware to show for their troubles, Madrid’s new attacking icon has enjoyed a sensational maiden campaign among Spain’s elite.
Sending shockwaves across the footballing globe last month as he completed a blockbuster free transfer from Champions League finalists PSG, Mbappe has already cemented his spot as the new poster boy around Madrid.
Bagging yet another La Liga brace here and handing Sociedad’s defence a string of issues on either side of the half-time break, the French skipper has stormed his way to Spain’s Golden Boot.
Including a famous consolation hat-trick away at arch-rivals Barcelona earlier in the month, Mbappe has remarkably notched 10 goals in his previous six domestic appearances.
Finishing Saturday’s showdown at the Bernabeu holding a six-goal buffer over Polish record-breaker Robert Lewandowski, Mbappe has also averaged a La Liga strike every 94 minutes.
A downbeat goodbye for Alguacil
While Ancelotti’s emotional farewell from the Bernabeu might have stolen plenty of Saturday’s headlines, the newly-appointed Brazil manager was not the only boss who was bidding a goodbye here.
With it officially confirmed last month that Imanol Alguacil would be ending his six-and-a-half-year stay in the Basque Country, Real Sociedad have drastically failed to find any kind of stability and have limped their way over the finishing line.
Making an immediate return to losing ways and signing off the 2024/25 campaign with a 2-0 loss in the Spanish capital, a 3-2 victory against Girona last weekend is the only win that Saturday’s guests have registered from their previous eight La Liga appearances.
Despite dreaming of the chance to mount a genuine Champions League charge this season, Sociedad eventually slumped their way to a bottom-half finish and have hugely flattered to deceive.
Mustering just a sole La Liga win on their travels since the start of December, La Real have plenty of work to do behind the scenes over the summer.
Match Report
Real Madrid: Lunin, Vazquez, Tchouameni, Asencio, F. Garcia, Valverde, Modric, Ceballos, Diaz, Guler, Mbappe
Subs: Andres, G. Garcia, Vinicius Junior, Vallejo
Real Sociedad: Marrero, Aramburu, Martin, Pacheco, Munoz, Sucic, Turrientes, Kubo, Gomez, Marin, Mariezkurrena
Subs: Barrenetxea, Mendez, Oyarzabal, Olasgasti, Zubimendi
Goals: Mbappe (38’, 83’)
Yellow Cards: N/A
Red Cards: N/A
Referee: Mario Melero Lopez
