Emotional Karim Benzema scores in the very last game ever for Real Madrid


Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 8:35 PM• Mart van Mourik • Last update: 20:43

Real Madrid took second place in LaLiga on Sunday evening at the last minute. It looked like that for a long time the Royal Due to the 1-1 score in the home game with Athletic Club, Real Madrid would finish second due to Atlético Madrid’s 2-2 draw at Villarreal. Karim Benzema played his last game in the shirt of the Madrilenians and crowned his farewell with a goal.

Real Madrid-Athletic Club 1-1
The team of coach Carlo Ancelotti already ran into problems in the tenth minute of play. Toni Kroos made a handball in his own sixteen-meter area, after which referee Isidro Díaz De Mera awarded a penalty to Athletic Club. Mikel Vesga hoped to outwit Thibaut Courtois from eleven meters in the left corner, but the goalkeeper saved. A few minutes after the break, Real Madrid fell behind.

After Dani Ceballos lost the ball in his own half, Óscar De Marcos had the opportunity to bring Ohian Sancet into position. Although the midfielder hit Courtois with his first attempt, he still managed to open the score from the rebound: 0-1. Halfway through the second half, Benzema, of all people, equalized from eleven meters. The striker used a penalty, which was awarded after a foul in the box by Yuri Berchiche against Éder Militão: 1-1. Shortly after his goal, Benzema had an emotional crowd turn.

Villarreal – Atlético Madrid 2-2
El Submarino Amarillo started the game excellently and found the opening goal after nine minutes of play. Nicolas Jackson was given space to score outside the penalty area and did so effectively: 1-0. Ten minutes later, the deficit was cleared by Ángel Correa, who scored on a pass from Antoine Griezmann. After the break, Atlético Madrid seemed to secure second place, when Correa outplayed goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen and scored the 1-2. At the same time, Real Madrid trailed 0-1. Still, things went wrong for Atlético, which ended up with ten men after Axel Witsel’s red card. In minute 93, Jorge Pascual scored the equalizer, which meant that Atlético finished third in LaLiga.

No. Team m W G v +/- Pnt
1 Barcelona 37 28 4 5 51 88
2 RealMadrid 38 24 6 8 39 78
3 Atletico Madrid 38 23 8 7 37 77
4 real society 38 21 8 9 16 71
5 Villarreal 38 19 7 12 19 64
6 RealBetis 37 17 8 12 5 59
7 Osasuna 38 15 8 15 -5 53
8 Athletic Club 38 14 9 15 4 51
9 Real Majorca 38 14 8 16 -6 50
10 Girona 38 13 10 15 3 49
11 Rayo Vallecano 38 13 10 15 -8 49
12 Seville 38 13 10 15 -7 49
13 Cadiz 37 10 11 16 -23 41
14 Getafe 37 10 11 16 -11 41
15 valencia 37 11 8 18 -3 41
16 Almeria 37 11 7 19 -16 40
17 Celta de Vigo 37 10 10 17 -11 40
18 Real Valladolid 37 11 6 20 -30 39
19 Espanyol 37 8 12 17 -17 36
20 Elche 37 5 9 23 -37 24