Real Madrid gave departing head coach Carlo Ancelotti the perfect send-off on Saturday afternoon, as Kylian Mbappe's brace secured a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad at Bernabeu.
Mbappe saw his spot kick saved by Real Sociedad goalkeeper Unai Marrero, but the Frenchman was quickly on the scene to fire into the back of the net at the second time of asking, moving onto 42 goals for the season.
The 26-year-old then made it 43 goals for the campaign with his second in the 83rd minute off an assist from Vinicius Junior.
Luka Modric captained Los Blancos on his final outing for the club at Bernabeu, although the Croatia international will remain with the capital giants for the Club World Cup, which begins in the middle of June.
The victory has seen Real Madrid finish on 84 points in the La Liga table, enough for second spot behind the champions Barcelona, while Real Sociedad are down in 11th, with the Basque outfit having an incredibly disappointing campaign.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
Ancelotti signs off at Real Madrid with two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey crowns, two Spanish Super Cups, three Champions League titles, three UEFA Super Cups, two Club World Cups and the Intercontinental Cup.
Meanwhile, Modric will depart having won a club-record 28 trophies, including six Champions League titles, and it was a special occasion for both on Saturday afternoon, as they were rightly recognised by the club's supporters for their achievements.
It will now be up to Xabi Alonso to take on a superb Barcelona outfit next season, and Real Madrid will fancy their chances of going head-to-head with the Catalan giants once their injury situation has eased and new signings have been added.
Mbappe once again came to the forefront for Real Madrid, making it 42 and then 43 for the season with a brace, and the France international has had a brilliant first campaign at Bernabeu.
Los Blancos will unpack this season before quickly turning their focus to what is shaping up to be a fascinating Club World Cup, while an announcement regarding Alonso's arrival is set to arrive in the near future.
REAL MADRID VS. REAL SOCIEDAD HIGHLIGHTS
39th min: Real Madrid 1-0 Real Sociedad (Kylian Mbappe)
Real Madrid make the breakthrough in the latter stages of the first period, and the goal comes from Mbappe, with the Frenchman turning home at the second time of asking after seeing his initial penalty saved by the Real Sociedad goalkeeper.
83rd min: Real Madrid 2-0 Real Sociedad (Kylian Mbappe)
Mbappe scores his second of the match, combining with Vinicius before finding the bottom corner; it is a brilliant goal, and that is all three points for the Spanish giants.
MAN OF THE MATCH - KYLIAN MBAPPE
© Imago
Arda Guler deserves a special mention for his performance on Saturday afternoon, but Mbappe was the best player on the pitch, with the Frenchman coming up with a brace for Ancelotti's side.
Real Madrid have not had the season that they expected, but Mbappe has had a glorious first campaign for the club, and his second was an excellent finish after smart work with Vinicius.
REAL MADRID VS. REAL SOCIEDAD MATCH STATS
Possession: Real Madrid 62%-38% Real Sociedad
Shots: Real Madrid 16-9 Real Sociedad
Shots on target: Real Madrid 8-1 Real Sociedad
Corners: Real Madrid 11-4 Real Sociedad
Fouls: Real Madrid 5-7 Real Sociedad
BEST STAT
🤍👽 Kylian Mbappé scores his 43rd goal of the season for Real Madrid, brace today...
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 24, 2025
...31 goals in La Liga and clear leader for Golden Boot race. pic.twitter.com/HYEMEesrNc
WHAT NEXT?
Real Madrid will begin their Club World Cup challenge with a clash against Al-Hilal on June 18, before tackling Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg in the group stage of the tournament on June 22 and June 27 respectively.
As for Real Sociedad, their campaign has come to an end with a defeat, and the players will now have a period of rest before returning to pre-season training in July to prepare for the 2025-26 campaign.
VOTE IN THE 2024-25 SPORTS MOLE READERS' AWARDS!
Voting is now open for the annual Sports Mole Readers' Awards, where you can pick your player of the season, manager of the season, signing of the season and much more.
Click here to make your selections, and the winners will be announced on Monday, May 26!
Matt Law
