Real Madrid beat Sevilla 1-0 in LaLiga on Sunday after Vinicius Junior scored the winner and Kylian Mbappe returned to the starting lineup following his recent omission under coach Alvaro Arbeloa.
Madrid stayed second in the table on 83 points, although Barcelona had already secured the title. Sevilla remained 13th with 43 points and one match left this season.
Sevilla started brighter and attacked with pace down the flanks, but Madrid struck first in the 15th minute. Mbappe controlled the ball with his chest inside the area and slipped a pass into Vinicius, who drilled a low finish past goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Madrid created more openings after the break and Mbappe thought he had doubled the lead after rounding Vlachodimos, but the officials ruled the goal out for offside.
Sevilla pushed hard late in the match and forced Madrid deep inside their own half. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and left-back Fran Garcia made crucial interventions to protect the lead during the closing stages.
Most of the attention before kick-off centred on Mbappe after the France captain claimed he had become a fourth-choice forward following his absence from the starting XI against Real Oviedo on Thursday.
Mbappe missed last weekend’s El Clasico defeat with a hamstring injury and received boos after coming off the bench against Oviedo. Arbeloa denied reports that he had demoted the striker in the squad hierarchy.
“I’m very satisfied with all my players and their effort,” Arbeloa said.
“We’re aware we haven’t met our goals. I’ve been here four months, and both Vinicius and Mbappe have tried to give their best, each with their own difficulties.”
Arbeloa also praised both forwards after the win.
“I think they’re two players any team in the world would want. Today it was Vinicius’s turn to score, but Mbappe did a great job.”
Madrid finish their LaLiga campaign at home against Athletic Bilbao next Saturday.
