MADRID (Interstat) — Real Madrid opened its 2025-26 La Liga campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over Sevilla on Saturday at a rain-slicked Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, a result that defied the visitors’ early resistance and solidified the home side’s status as preseason favorites.

The match, played on Dec. 20, 2025, was decided by a goal in each half, with Jude Bellingham breaking through just before halftime and a late own goal sealing the points for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. The victory immediately placed Real Madrid atop the early league table with a perfect record of one win and no losses, while Sevilla fell to one loss and no wins.

Sevilla, under new management, arrived with a disciplined defensive plan that frustrated Madrid for much of the first half. The visitors’ physical approach was reflected in the match officiating, as the first half produced three yellow cards in a frantic eight-minute span. Sevilla’s Carmona was booked in the 34th minute for a tactical foul, followed swiftly by a caution for center-back Marcão in the 37th minute. Madrid’s Rodrygo also saw yellow in the 41st minute as tensions flared.

The breakthrough finally came in the 38th minute, and it was the England international Bellingham who provided it. The midfielder, continuing his advanced role, found space at the edge of the area and finished clinically after being set up by substitute Djibril Sow, who had just entered the fray. The assist was a key performance in the match.

Sevilla’s task grew exponentially more difficult in the 68th minute when Marcão, already on a yellow card, was shown a second yellow for a reckless challenge, reducing the visitors to 10 men. The dismissal triggered a further flurry of cautions, with Sevilla’s Raúl Asencio and Lucien Agoume both booked in the ensuing minutes as their team’s discipline frayed.

Real Madrid capitalized on the numerical advantage to put the game beyond doubt. In the 84th minute, defender Raúl Asencio, under pressure in his own box, inadvertently deflected a dangerous cross past his own goalkeeper. The own goal, credited as a key defensive performance in the match notes, extinguished any lingering hope of a Sevilla comeback.

The match concluded with one final booking for Madrid’s assist-provider Sow in first-half stoppage time. The final whistle confirmed a result that was more lopsided than some projections anticipated. Pre-match analytics from Interstat had simulated a 2-1 Madrid win, while its ELO rating system gave Real Madrid a 95.6 percent probability of victory.

The comprehensive performance and clean sheet will satisfy Ancelotti, whose team displayed both patience and potency. For Sevilla, the defeat highlights the challenge ahead, as they managed zero goals on the afternoon and finished the match with only 10 men, a concerning start to their league season. Both teams’ records across all competitions now mirror their La Liga standings.