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place
- Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
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referee
- Mateu Busquets Ferrer
Arda Güler 30′
Kylian Mbappé 37′
Kylian Mbappé 63′ (Pen)
Yan Diomande 82′
Manuel Bueno Sebastián 80′
Real Madrid returned to six points from leader Barcelona ahead of next weekend’s Classic with a win Seville this was not without fortune and controversy.
Just 24 hours after Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini lamented bias towards Barca in his side’s 5-2 defeat, Sevilla also had reason to complain after Arda Güler escaped a red card midway through the first half before opening the scoring.
The former Fenerbahce midfielder elbowed Peque Fernández in the face as the pair clashed as they raced towards the Madrid goal. It looked like a fairly obvious sending off, but referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer and VAR opted against any action and instead booked Dean Huijsen and Sevilla skipper Felix Correira for their part in the ensuing melee.
Guler put Madrid ahead with a fine goal before Kylian Mbappé scored twice, including a penalty, as Madrid claimed their eighth successive La Liga win at the Santiago Bernabéu. Yan Diomande was also on target, shortly after Sevilla had reduced the deficit thanks to substitute Manu Bueno.
Guler avoids the bathroom early and Madrid makes the most of it
The result was never in doubt once Guler opened the scoring, but it had been a tense and nervous first 30 minutes.
After Robbie Ure’s first-time header was saved by Thibaut Courtois, Madrid piled on some pressure but were limited to a half-chance with Mbappe deflected in and Endrick saw an effort blocked by Lucien Agoume.
Yan Diomande replaced the suspended Vinicius Jr on the left wing and a dancing run from the Ivorian almost ended in a goal in the 12th minute, but the former RB Leipzig player put his shot into the net.
Sevilla came closest to a first goal in the 18th minute with Ruben Vargas’ turn and his thunderous shot inches from the right.
Diomande went close again before the crucial turning point of the half. Peque pulled off Güler’s shirt with the Madrid midfielder elbowing the Sevilla player in an attempt to break free.
Much to Sevilla’s chagrin, it was Guler who made the big breakthrough, running onto Diomande’s perfect pass to sweep a left-footed shot past Odysseas Vlachodimos and into the corner.
Mbappé almost made it 2-0 four minutes later, but the French striker grabbed his goal in the 37th minute. Diomande and Jude Bellingham created the chance, but Mbappé still had a lot to do and did so well, cutting past a defender, leaping past Vlachodimos and into the empty net.
Sevilla came close to halving the deficit in first-half stoppage time, but Courtois pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Agoume’s low shot.
Mbappe scores again and Diomande gets a deserved goal
The visitors went close again 10 minutes after the restart with substitute Chidera Ejuke beating Marc Cucurella but then firing just over the crossbar.
Diomande dragged a shot wide at the other end and was also instrumental in the moment that effectively settled the game in favor of the hosts.
Having fooled his marker with a glorious turn, Diomande played in Mbappé, who was bundled to the floor by Andrés Castrin. Busquets Ferrer pointed to the spot and Mbappé made no mistake with a cheeky Panenka.
Sevilla, to their credit, continued to hang on and Youssouf Fofana pulled off another good save from Courtois from 20 yards. Gabriel Suazo also fired wide as Sevilla looked for a consolation.
Sevilla had made their best start to an away campaign in the top flight since 2011-12 and got the goal their company deserved with 10 minutes remaining. Mbappe was stripped on the edge of his own box and Lucas Stassin set up Bueno, who dismissed Courtois.
That goal threatened to set up a grandstand finish, but Madrid quickly restored their three-goal cushion with Diomande capping off a fine individual performance with a sharp finish past Vlachodimos with seven minutes remaining.
A good night for Madrid was capped by the return of centre-back Eder Militao from a serious hamstring injury sustained in April which saw the Brazil international miss the World Cup. He came off the bench in the last few minutes in place of Federico Valverde.
