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Real Madrid ended their 2022-23 La Liga season with a disappointing 1-1 draw to Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, June 4. Oihan Sancet's goal in the second half was canceled out by departing striker Karim Benzema's penalty.
With nothing on the line from this game, Real Madrid failed to produce their best form. The result could've been worse had Thibaut Courtois not made a penalty save in the opening stanza along with seven other key saves. The Belgian goalkeeper jumped the right way to deny Mikel Vesga in the 10th minute, before keeping out efforts from Yuri Berchiche and Gorka Guruzeta.
Bilbao were rewarded for their persistence in the 49th minute. A mistake from Dani Ceballos allowed Ander Herrera to play in Sancet, who fired home from close range.
The hosts were toothless until then and needed a moment of inspiration to come back into the game. They found it in the 70th minute when Yuri Berchiche was penalized for leaving Eder Militao in a heap inside the box.
Benzema, who was making his final appearance for Real Madrid, coolly dispatched the penalty beyond Bilbao custodian Unai Simon.
It all square at 1-1 as Madrid finished the La Liga season in second place, with 78 points from 38 games, behind champions Barcelona. Meanwhile, Bilbao came in at eighth with 51, missing out on the UEFA Europa Conference League spot against Osasuna by two points.
Here are the five talking points from Real Madrid's clash against Athletic Club:
#5 Courtois makes epic penalty save
Thibaut Courtois denied Athletic Bilbao's Mikel Vesga from the penalty spot in the first half which prevented the visitors from going in front.
Toni Kroos was harshly penalized for a handball when a scramble inside the box saw the ball come off his arm and Vesga stepped up to take the spot-kick. Courtois guessed the right direction and made a spectacular save to parry the ball away for a corner.
Of the last 10 penalty attempts that he's now faced (excluding shootouts), the Belgian talisman has saved five of them!
#4 Sancet hits double figures for Bilbao for the first time
Oihan Sancet scored his 10th goal of the season today with a strike against Real Madrid, hitting double figures in La Liga for the first time in his career.
Just four minutes into the second half, Ander Herrera dispossessed Dani Ceballos and slipped it to Sancet, whose initial shot was saved by Courtois. The rebound fell to him again and this time, the midfielder buried it.
Since making his senior debut for Bilbao in the 2019-20 season, Sancet's numbers have consistently improved - 1, 2, 6, and now 10.
#3 Benzema bids farewell with a goal
Karim Benzema made his final appearance for Real Madrid today and he marked the occasion with a goal, bringing his side into the match late on.
The Frenchman is all set to leave the Santiago Bernabeu after 14 years for Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, according to reports. He made sure he left the club with one final mark.
It was only a penalty, but the 35-year-old buried it with aplomb to make it 1-1 with just over 15 minutes of normal time remaining on the clock. It took his tally to 31 goals in 43 games across competitions this season.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti subbed Benzema off soon after. Everyone inside the Bernabeu were on their feet to applaud their stalwart as he walked off their turf for one last time.
#2 Bilbao get a rare point at the Bernabeu
If there was one stadium where Athletic Bilbao tend to struggle, that's the Santiago Bernabeu. In fact, the Lions had lost 15 of their previous 17 visits there before today, collecting points only in 2018 and 2019 during this period.
Today, the Basque Country outfit broke the duck and secured a draw against their insipid hosts, while also ending a run of six consecutive defeats in the fixture.
However, Bilbao remain winless at the Bernabeu since 2005, during Ernesto Valverde's first spell as their manager. Back then, the side won 2-0 at the stadium, but haven't had such luck away against Real Madrid in La Liga since then.
#5 Winds of change set to blow at Real Madrid
With a topsy-turvy campaign now behind them, Real Madrid will look forward to rebuilding their squad this summer with four players confirmed to leave. Benzema, Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio, and Mariano are all out, while a few more players, such as Nacho, could potentially follow them through the exit door.
Naturally, several new arrivals are on the cards too as Los Blancos will look to fill the gaps left by their departing stars. Although no one has been officially signed yet, a few names have been linked. This includes the likes of Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane, who's been identified as a potential replacement for Benzema.
Real Madrid are also close to signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund (via Fabrizio Romano).
Either way, it will be interesting to see how the Spanish giants will bounce back in the 2023-24 season. Winning the Copa del Rey and Club World Cup continued their silverware run, but the side conceded their La Liga and Champions League titles in limp fashion.
