Real Madrid Needed Just 37 Minutes to Take Control, and With the Clásico Next, That Matters

Real Madrid beat Sevilla 4-1 at home in La Liga. They scored twice before halftime, added a third after the break, and got the response they wanted after Sevilla scored late.

Madrid Take Control

The first big moment came in the 30th minute, when Madrid took the lead after a scrappy start that saw each side get a yellow card in the 23rd minute. They doubled their lead just seven minutes later, in the 37th minute, and went into halftime in full control. Sevilla made changes at halftime and again in the 56th minute, but Madrid stayed on top and scored a third in the 63rd minute to make it 3-0.

A Late Scare, Then a Quick Reply

Sevilla finally got on the scoresheet in the 80th minute to make it 3-1, which gave them a flicker of hope after a long evening of chasing the game. Madrid ended it almost immediately, scoring again in the 82nd minute to make it 4-1.

Key Stats

Madrid dominated the ball with 64% possession and had 17 shots, eight of them on target, against 11 shots and five on target for Sevilla. Both sides picked up two yellow cards, and Sevilla had a bigger share of the fouls, 13 to Madrid’s 10. Madrid won only one corner in the whole match, which shows how they made their chances count.

Star Names on Show

Madrid’s lineup featured Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Endrick and Carlos Espí, with Thibaut Courtois in goal and a defense that included Ibrahima Konaté, Dean Huijsen and Marc Cucurella. Sevilla’s side included Odysseas Vlachodimos, Lucien Agoumé, Rubén Vargas and Lucas Stassin.

What It Means

This was a convincing response after Madrid’s derby defeat to Atlético last month and a narrow 1-0 win over Villarreal last time out. The timing could not be better, with the Clásico away at Barcelona next weekend. Barcelona have scored freely in recent weeks, so Madrid will need to bring more than they did against Sevilla, but this performance should give them confidence going in. For Sevilla, the late goal was a small consolation in a game that was out of reach by halftime.