Madrid End Season with Bilbao Victory

Real Madrid's Austrian defender #04 David Alaba celebrates after his last match with Real Madrid at the end the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club Bilbao at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)

Real Madrid wrapped up the La Liga season with a 4-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in Alvaro Arbeloa’s final match in charge, while Mallorca and Girona suffered relegation from the Spanish top flight.

In the final round of fixtures, Mallorca beat already relegated Real Oviedo 3-0 to move onto 42 points, but the result failed to secure survival.

Girona were relegated after drawing 1-1 with Elche, a result that preserved the visitors’ top-flight status and condemned the Catalan side to the drop just a season after competing in the Champions League.

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Veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored in his final appearance for champions Barcelona, but goals from Javi Guerra, Luis Rioja and Guido Rodriguez earned Valencia a 3-1 comeback win.

Real Madrid’s Spanish defender #02 Dani Carvajal speaks after his last match with Real Madrid at the end the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club Bilbao at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on May 23, 2026. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)

Celta Vigo sealed Europa League qualification with a 1-0 victory over Sevilla to finish sixth, while Getafe booked a Conference League place after edging Osasuna 1-0.

Dani Carvajal, playing his final match for Real Madrid, delivered a superb pass for Gonzalo Garcia to open the scoring against Athletic Bilbao.

England international Jude Bellingham added a brilliant second before Gorka Guruzeta pulled one back for the visitors shortly before half-time in Ernesto Valverde’s last game in charge.

La Liga top scorer Kylian Mbappe struck Madrid’s third with a powerful effort from outside the area, taking his league tally to 25 goals for the season.

Both sides gave Carvajal a guard of honour when he left the pitch with 10 minutes remaining, as the 34-year-old bid an emotional farewell to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Brahim Diaz added Madrid’s fourth late on before Urko Izeta scored a consolation for Athletic Bilbao.

Despite losing, Levante and Osasuna stayed up on 42 points alongside relegated Mallorca because of superior head-to-head records.

On Sunday, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid will contest third place in the final match of the season.

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  • Toyibat Ajose

    Toyibat is a highly motivated Mass Communication major and results-oriented professional with a robust foundation in media, education, and communication. Leveraging years of hands-on experience in journalism, she has honed her ability to craft compelling narratives, conduct thorough research, and deliver accurate and engaging content that resonates with diverse audiences.

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