18 October’s La Liga meeting between Real Madrid and Sevilla ended in a comprehensive 4-1 victory for the hosts, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice as Real moved into the top three and displaced Real Betis.
The ninth-round fixture was played at the Santiago Bernabeu, following Barcelona’s 5-2 win away to Real Betis in Seville on the previous day. The results paired the league’s leading clubs with the two Seville sides, but Real Madrid emerged from the weekend having opened up a gap on Betis in the standings.
Real Madrid controlled the match from the opening minutes and steadily increased the pressure on Sevilla’s defence. Endrick made his first start, although he was not involved in the opening goal, which arrived in the 30th minute.
Jude Bellingham launched Yan Diomande down the left from inside Real Madrid’s half. Diomande reached the edge of the penalty area before finding Arda Guler, whose powerful strike beat Odysseas Vlachodimos to put the hosts ahead.
Seven minutes later, Real doubled their advantage with another well-worked attack from the left. Diomande sent the ball across the area and Bellingham tried to flick it on with his heel. The midfielder did not make contact, but the ball ran through to Mbappe, who spun past his marker, rounded Vlachodimos and finished into an unguarded net.
Sevilla’s first serious chance came in added time at the end of the first half. Suazo played the ball to Vargas on the left, and Vargas fed Lucien Agoume on the edge of the area. Agoume aimed for the bottom-left corner, but Thibaut Courtois stretched to his full length to make the save.
Sevilla created little else in terms of a comeback, and Real Madrid effectively settled the contest shortly after the hour mark. Mbappe ran on to Diomande’s pass and went down inside the area after feeling contact from Kastrin. The referee awarded a penalty, which Mbappe converted with a Panenka to make it 3-0.
Sevilla pulled one goal back with 10 minutes remaining, after Mbappe lost possession near his own penalty area. Bueno won the ball and then completed the move himself, driving a shot from the corner of the area past Courtois.
The hosts restored their three-goal lead almost immediately. Sevilla lost possession in midfield, allowing Aurelien Tchouameni to release Diomande. He carried the ball to the edge of the penalty area before firing an emphatic effort into the near corner for 4-1.
The victory saw Real Madrid overtake Real Betis and move into La Liga’s top three, while Sevilla left the Santiago Bernabeu without a realistic chance of taking anything from the match.