Barcelona are La Liga champions. Real Madrid’s 4-2 home win over Athletic Club on the final day sealed a comfortable second-place finish, but with Barcelona already on 94 points and no games left to play, Alvaro Arbeloa’s side ended the season eight points adrift of their rivals. Goals from Gonzalo Garcia, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz gave Madrid a comfortable afternoon on the scoreline, though Athletic Club pulled one back in stoppage time through Urko Izeta to make it 4-2 at full time.
Key Moments
- 12′, Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring for Real Madrid, giving the hosts an early lead at the Bernabeu.
- 41′, Jude Bellingham doubled the advantage before half-time, extending Madrid’s lead to two despite picking up a yellow card earlier in the half.
- 45′, Gorka Guruzeta pulled one back for Athletic Club right on the stroke of half-time, cutting the deficit to 2-1 heading into the break.
- 51′, Kylian Mbappe restored the two-goal cushion early in the second half, effectively ending Athletic Club’s hopes of a comeback.
- 88′, Brahim Diaz found the net but the goal was ruled out by VAR a minute later, leaving the score at 3-1.
- 90′, Urko Izeta scored a consolation for Athletic Club in the final minute, finishing at 4-2 after Real Madrid had added a confirmed fourth by that point.
Tactical Breakdown
Real Madrid controlled the match from start to finish, holding 74 percent of the ball and completing 675 of 745 passes at a 91 percent accuracy rate. With 13 total shots including eight on target, Madrid were efficient in front of goal against a visiting side that largely sat deep and looked to hit on the counter. Athletic Club’s xG of 0.86 against Madrid’s 1.85 tells a fair story, even if the final score flattered the hosts slightly given the VAR cancellation.
Arbeloa made four substitutions in the 74th minute, withdrawing Bellingham and Garcia along with introducing Franco Mastantuono. The mass change was a chance to rotate with the season already settled, and Athletic Club made similar moves, taking off Guruzeta at the same time after he had done his job by keeping the half-time scoreline relevant. By that point the game’s outcome was never seriously in doubt.
Athletic Club finished the game with 20 fouls and only 26 percent possession, reflecting a side that had little to play for in a mid-table finish. Their xG of 0.86 from eight total shots shows they rarely threatened Thibaut Courtois, who was not called on to make a single save. The late goals from both sides added noise to a result that was settled well before the 90th minute.
Player Ratings
Verdict
Real Madrid close out La Liga 2025-26 as runners-up with 86 points, having secured Champions League qualification and finishing eight points behind Barcelona. The title was always going to be beyond them once Barcelona built their lead through the winter, and this final-day win changes little in the broader picture. For Athletic Club, a 12th-place finish and 45 points represents a difficult campaign, and they end the season without any European football to look forward to next year.