Kylian Mbappe matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record for goals in a calendar year and Jude Bellingham also scored as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday in La Liga.<\/p>\n
French superstar Mbappe levelled Ronaldo’s tally of 59 goals in 2013 by stroking home a late penalty, after Bellingham sent Madrid ahead with a first half header.<\/p>\n
The victory allowed Los Blancos, second, to cut the gap on leaders Barcelona to one point before the Catalans visit Villarreal on Sunday.<\/p>\n
“To do like Cristiano did, my idol, the best player in Real Madrid’s history and a world great, it’s an honour for me,” said Mbappe, who turned 27 on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Gaining a third consecutive win across all competitions, after managing just two in the previous eight games, marginally eases the pressure on coach Xabi Alonso even though the performance was still underwhelming.<\/p>\n
“We’ve got some time now to analyse and reflect where we are now,” Alonso told reporters ahead of the winter break.<\/p>\n
“We want to do better, we’re self-critical, we got the three points and now we’ll use this time and try to start the year better.”<\/p>\n
Sevilla, who thrashed champions Barcelona 4-1 in October, started strongly with veteran Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez heavily involved.<\/p>\n
Odysseas Vlachodimos made a fine save to thwart Fran Garcia at the other end, and as the minutes ticked by Madrid began to find more of a foothold.<\/p>\n
Bellingham headed the hosts in front at the Santiago Bernabeu after Rodrygo Goes whipped in a dangerous free-kick.<\/p>\n
The Brazilian forward was booked for diving before the break as he tumbled in the box under little pressure.<\/p>\n
Sanchez landed the ball on the roof of Thibaut Courtois’s net before the break with an acrobatic effort.<\/p>\n
Sevilla coach Matias Almeyda was sent off at half-time for dissent, but his team plugged away in search of an equaliser regardless.<\/p>\n
Courtois twice denied Isaac Romero early in the second half, while Mbappe intensified his search to emulate Ronaldo’s record.<\/p>\n
Mbappe headed against the crossbar and whipped a shot narrowly wide, while Vlachodimos fended off another effort from the forward.<\/p>\n
Sevilla defender Marcao clumsily slid in to foul Bellingham after 67 minutes and was sent off for a second yellow card, hampering his side’s chances of adding to Alonso’s struggles.<\/p>\n
Madrid almost scored a second when Mbappe teed up Rodrygo, who lifted the ball into the air and then lashed it towards goal, but Vlachodimos superbly tipped it onto the crossbar.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mbappe’s 59th<\/p>\n
Eventually Mbappe got the goal he craved from the penalty spot, after Juanlu clumsily brought down Rodrygo.<\/p>\n
The forward sent Vlachodimos the wrong way as he stroked in his 59th of the year, to match Ronaldo’s record.<\/p>\n
Mbappe copied Ronaldo’s trademark celebration and said it was a nod to the Portuguese great, Madrid’s all-time top goalscorer.<\/p>\n
“I wanted to give him a wink because he’s always been kind to me,” said Mbappe.<\/p>\n
“He was my idol as a kid, I have a very good relationship with him, he’s a friend now.”<\/p>\n
Madrid were awarded another penalty when Bellingham went down in the box but it was ruled out after a VAR review showed Sevilla defender Oso got the ball.<\/p>\n
The referee then gave Madrid another penalty as Sow fouled Rodrygo on the edge of the box, but the offence was just outside the area and it was again scrapped.<\/p>\n
Mbappe whipped the free-kick narrowly over the top corner as he battled in vain to go beyond Ronaldo’s mark, but he will have to try again in 2026.<\/p>\n
“Scoring 59 goals is not easy, he’s got quality and talent — it’s hard to stop him in training,” said Courtois, who called on the whole team to take a step forward next year.<\/p>\n
“Hopefully 2026 comes with trophies, but for that we have to improve our level,” he added.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere Celta Vigo rose to seventh even though they could only draw 0-0 at struggling Real Oviedo, while Levante held Real Sociedad 1-1. Osasuna thrashed Alaves 3-0 to go 12th.<\/p>\n
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