Jude Bellingham scored as Real Madrid beat Real Oviedo 2-0, while returning forward Kylian Mbappe was booed by home fans.
Real Madrid bounced back from last weekend’s Clasico defeat with a 2-0 victory over already relegated Real Oviedo at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday night. Gonzalo Garcia and Jude Bellingham scored in either half as Los Blancos secured a routine home win.
However, much of the attention surrounded Kylian Mbappe’s return from injury. The French forward was left on the bench and received loud whistles from sections of the Bernabeu crowd after entering the pitch in the second half. Despite the hostile reception, Mbappe still played a role in Madrid’s second goal.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s side controlled possession from the opening stages but initially struggled to create clear opportunities. Franco Mastantuono and Brahim Diaz both forced early saves from Aaron Escandell, while Trent Alexander-Arnold curled an ambitious effort narrowly wide from distance.
Oviedo remained compact defensively and nearly stunned the hosts midway through the half. Nacho Vidal found space inside the penalty area but blazed his effort over the crossbar from close range. The visitors continued to frustrate Madrid for long spells as impatience briefly grew around the stadium.
Madrid eventually found the breakthrough just before halftime. Oviedo lost possession cheaply near their own box and Brahim reacted quickest to feed Gonzalo Garcia. The young forward wasted no time before drilling a low finish into the bottom-right corner for his 11th goal of the campaign.
Oviedo threatened briefly after the restart and almost equalised through Alberto Reina, who fired wide after meeting Rahim Alhassane’s deep cross. Thibaut Courtois was later forced into action when Haissem Hassan tested him with a powerful strike from distance.
Mbappe entered the match in the 69th minute to replace Gonzalo Garcia and was immediately greeted by whistles from sections of the home support. The forward had missed Madrid’s previous two matches through injury following increased scrutiny over his recent performances and off-field criticism.
Despite the negative atmosphere, Mbappe remained heavily involved after coming on. He attempted several shots and combined effectively with Bellingham during Madrid’s stronger spell late in the match. The second goal finally arrived in the 80th minute when Mbappe slipped a short pass into Bellingham’s path.
The England midfielder surged past two defenders before calmly slotting his finish beyond Escandell. Oviedo continued battling until the final whistle but lacked the quality to seriously trouble Madrid’s defence in the closing stages.
Real Madrid dominated the contest with 65 percent possession and completed over 640 passes across the match. The hosts registered 19 shots overall, with seven efforts hitting the target. Madrid also generated an expected goals tally of 1.36 from their chances at the Bernabeu.
Oviedo managed nine shots during the contest and forced Courtois into three saves. The visitors produced an xG of 1.08 but struggled to sustain attacking pressure for long periods. Madrid also won four corners compared to Oviedo’s five as the home side constantly pushed forward.
Gonzalo Garcia once again impressed in attack for Madrid. The young striker took his goal confidently and consistently stretched the Oviedo defence with intelligent movement. His sharp finish just before halftime changed the momentum of the contest.
Bellingham also delivered another influential display from the bench. The midfielder brought greater energy and drive after entering the match before sealing victory with an excellent solo goal. His composure in the final third proved decisive late on.
Brahim Diaz played a key role creatively and provided the assist for Garcia’s opener. Mbappe also made an impact despite the hostile reception from supporters. The Frenchman showed good composure to set up Bellingham for Madrid’s second goal.
Real Madrid travel to Sevilla in their next LaLiga fixture before finishing the season at home against Athletic Club. Oviedo host Alaves before travelling to Mallorca as they continue preparations for life in the second division.
