Real Madrid defeated Real Oviedo 2-0 in the La Liga semi-final, in a home game that was decided by goals in each half from Gonzalo Garcia and Jude Bellingham. The match, which was devoid of any stakes for either club, was given added significance by the intense booing from the “los blancos” fans towards Kylian Mbappe and the open-air applause directed at the legendary Spanish footballer, Santi Cazorla.

Real Madrid and Real Oviedo faced off in the 36th round of the Spanish championship, in a round that put “face to face” two teams that were not fighting for any specific objective, because the team from the “Bernabeu” had mathematically lost the La Liga title, while the Asturias team had been relegated to the second division of Spanish football, at the end of the draw recorded against Getafe, at home. 11 points separated the team trained by Alvaro Arbeloa from Barcelona in the general standings, unlike the group from the north of the country that occupied the last step in the current hierarchy of the domestic competition.

In the round duel of the current season in the Spanish championship, Real Madrid had won with a final score of 3-0 in a match in which Kylian Mbappe had scored twice, and Vinicius Jr. had scored, in turn. The last time the two teams faced each other at the Bernabeu was in 2001, when Los Blancos won 4-0. However, Real Oviedo’s last success against the Galacticos came in 1998, when the Asturian team triumphed on home soil, while 1995 marked the most recent victory at the Spanish capital.

Andriy Lunin, Ferland Mendy, Eder Militao, Dean Huijsen, Arda Guler, Dani Ceballos, Federico Valverde and Rodrygo were all unavailable for Alvaro Arbeloa for the game, while Kylian Mbappe and Daniel Carvajal returned to the Los Blancos squad. Real Madrid had four consecutive wins in La Liga at home before this clash, and their last five official matches had brought two wins, two losses and a draw for the “Los Blancos”. On the other hand, in the same period, Real Oviedo had two defeats, two draws and a single triumph.

The home team’s first goal chance came early in the match when Vinicius Jr. passed behind Gonzalo Garcia, and the Spanish striker’s shot was blocked by Aaron Escandell. Trent Alexander-Arnold “tried his luck” with a shot from distance, and the Englishman’s shot went just wide of the visitors’ goal. Later, Eduardo Camavinga shot from long range, but the ball went wide of the goal. Guillermo Almada’s team came close to opening the scoring in this game when Federico Vinas passed to Nacho Vidal, and the right-back shot from close range over the crossbar of the goal defended by Thibaut Courtois.

Vinicius Jr. recovered a ball near the goal, and the Brazilian footballer tried to finish from inside the box, but one of the visitors’ central defenders opposed and managed to save. However, shortly after, Alvaro Carreras passed decisively to Gonzalo Garcia, and the Spanish striker shot on foot, placed, into the far corner, beating Aaron Escandell. Later, Brahim Diaz received a ball near the opponent’s box from Eduardo Camavinga, and the Moroccan player’s shot, from close range, was rejected by the visitors’ goalkeeper.

In the second half, the first scoring opportunity belonged to the players led by Alvaro Arbeloa on the wing, Franco Mastantuono receiving a ball inside the box and sending it to the far corner, but his execution went well past the posts defended by Aaron Escandell. A cross coming from the left flank of the visitors’ attack from Rahim Alhassane’s boot reached Alberto Reina, whose volley execution was faulty, the ball going far past the goal defended by Thibaut Courtois. Nacho Vidal wasted a huge opportunity in the 63rd minute of the game, when he received a pass on the lane from Santo Cazorla, but shot just wide of the opposing posts.

Kylian Mbappe, who came on as a substitute, picked up a ball near the opposition penalty area, dribbled inside and fired a powerful shot into the far corner, but his shot was blocked by the loud boos from the stands in the Spanish capital. The second goal of the match came in the 80th minute, when Kylian Mbappe passed to Jude Bellingham, and from a considerable distance the Englishman fired into the Real Oviedo net, taking his tally to five goals this season.

Thibaut Courtois then made a decisive save, making a great save, against Hassan’s shot from close range. This success allows the group trained by Alvaro Arbeloa to reduce the gap to Barcelona to 11 points, being certain to maintain its second place in the general standings until the end of this competitive season, while Real Oviedo remains the “red lantern” of La Liga. In the 37th round of the Spanish championship, the “galactic” formation will play in Andalucia, against Sevilla, unlike the Asturian group who will receive the visit of Deportivo Alaves.