Real Madrid closed out their 2025-2026 domestic campaign with a 4-2 victory over Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday. The match locked Madrid into the La Liga runner-up spot with 86 points under manager Álvaro Arbeloa and officially ended the historic club careers of veteran defenders Daniel Carvajal and David Alaba.
Gonzalo García opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Jude Bellingham doubled the lead at the 40-minute mark before Gorka Guruzeta pulled one back for Athletic right before halftime.
Kylian Mbappé quickly answered after the break, finding the net in the 50th minute to restore the two-goal cushion. Brahim Díaz sealed the win late in the 87th minute, rendering a 90th-minute stoppage-time strike from Urko Izeta a mere consolation for the visitors.
The Bernabéu crowd gave a standing ovation to Carvajal and Alaba during their final appearances in the famous white kit.
On the opposite touchline, the defeat finalized a managerial collapse. Athletic Club finished a highly disappointing season in 12th place with 45 points and a negative 15 goal differential. The 4-2 loss confirmed the end of the Ernesto Valverde era at the club, according to a Cadena SER report detailing the exit.
The Basque club suffered 19 league defeats this year. That total is more losses than two of the three teams that were relegated to the Segunda División this season. Athletic’s slide down the table was a recurring theme down the stretch, echoing their recent form when Villarreal stunned Athletic Club 2-1 in a critical away fixture.