The season is moving toward its conclusion and for some teams, the final stretch serves more to assess feelings than to earn crucial points. In that scenario, Real Madrid arrived at the Sánchez-Pizjuán, with no pending classification objectives but with the responsibility to end the season with good feelings. What was expected was an easy match for the whites, but the development on the field once again left doubts about Ancelotti's team's offensive capacity, especially against a Sevilla that played with a clear disadvantage.
A match marked by expulsions and the lack of white finishing
The match started with an unexpectedly tense pace. Sevilla suffered the first expulsion in just the 12th minute, when Loïc Badé saw a straight red card. From that moment on, Real Madrid had an overwhelming numerical superiority for more than an hour and a quarter. Logic suggested a white avalanche on the Sevilla goal, but the reality was very different: Carlo Ancelotti's team repeatedly encountered an organized defense and a low block that resisted the attacks, showing the most harmless version of Madrid.
The situation worsened for the locals with a second expulsion, that of Isaac Romero, in the 48th minute. From then on, the Madridists had absolute control of the ball, but the inability to generate real danger began to raise alarms both among the fans and the most media-savvy analysts.
The desperation of Tomás Roncero: The thermometer of Madridism
Among the many eyes following the match was Tomás Roncero, journalist for AS and one of the most recognized (and visceral) voices of Madridism on social media. Through his Twitter account, Roncero was a reflection of the general feeling: disbelief and frustration at what he was witnessing.
Before the score opened, Roncero posted a clear message: "If Madrid can't devour a Sevilla with nine on the field, it's enough to get furiously angry". It was the 75th minute and the goal still hadn't come. The feeling of impotence took over the stands and, of course, those analyzing the match from home.
Minutes later, and with Madrid still unable to breach Nyland's goal, the journalist insisted: "Not even against nine. This is a nightmare". Both messages went viral instantly, garnering tens of thousands of views and positioning Roncero as the spokesperson for the white desperation.
A Real Madrid with offensive problems despite the superiority
Roncero's criticisms were not unfounded. Real Madrid accumulated possession, hovered around the area, and added crosses to the small area, but the lack of dynamism and alternatives in the offensive line was noticeable. Vinicius and Rodrygo, two of the usual names in attack, were still unavailable, which forced reliance once again on Mbappé, who became the only reliable offensive reference in this final stretch of LaLiga.
It was precisely the Frenchman who unlocked the situation in the 75th minute, breaking Sevilla's resistance and putting his team ahead. The goal did not prevent the image shown for more than an hour of the match from continuing to be a topic of debate among fans. Jude Bellingham, who reappeared in the final minutes, sealed it with the 2-0 in the 87th, embellishing a result that doesn't reflect the real difficulty experienced by the Madrid team.