Bellingham Shatters Four-Month Goal Drought as Real Madrid Dominate Real Oviedo: Player Ratings

Real Madrid returned to winning form on Thursday night, claiming a 2–0 triumph over Real Oviedo courtesy of strikes from Gonzalo García and Jude Bellingham.

A hostile atmosphere from the sea of white shirts at the Bernabéu welcomed Los Blancos following their disappointing Clásico loss in their previous outing. With nothing but pride on the line, Álvaro Arbeloa's squad set about their business against the bottom side in the La Liga table.

Gonzalo broke the deadlock in the 44th minute, lifting the mood inside the ground just before the interval. Bellingham then got his name on the scoresheet in the 80th minute, netting his first goal since January 20.

Real Madrid's victory lacked flair, but was free of any embarrassment or controversy ... something of a rarity in the Spanish capital these days.

One Thing We Can't Ignore

Kylian Mbappé made his first appearance since April 24 and was met with a barrage of boos and whistles each time he got near the ball, let alone touched it. The Frenchman wore a knowing smile throughout, but the crowd's frustration was impossible to overlook.

Vinicius Jr also received whistles in the early stages of the game, though nowhere near the level of hostility directed at Mbappé. The reaction was hardly surprising, given that more than 52 million people signed a petition demanding his departure from Real Madrid.

Despite his feeble end to the campaign, hampered by injury and a dressing room feud, Mbappé still tops the Pichichi standings with 24 goals in 28 league outings. He would have been eager to extend his tally on Thursday, both to extend his lead over Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi and win over the crowd, but he left empty-handed.

Mbappé stepped up to a free kick from 30 yards and struck the wall. He also failed to convert a clear-cut opportunity when clean through on goal—a chance that would have been ruled out regardless due to yet another offside call. His other two decent efforts failed to even trouble the goalkeeper.

The France international did pick up the assist for Bellingham's goal, however, a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable cameo that is unlikely to have won him any new admirers among the Madridistas.

Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Real Oviedo (4-4-2)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Thibaut Courtois—7.9: Had to be slightly more alert than anticipated against the league's bottom side, but was never truly tested.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—7.3: One of the few players willing to make adventurous runs forward and deliver creative passes ... which his teammates were unable to convert. Came close to scoring his first goal in a white shirt, but the milestone remains elusive.

CB: Raúl Asencio—7.3: Demonstrated his defensive quality on multiple occasions, earning well-deserved applause from the stands. Used his physical presence to great effect.

CB: David Alaba—7.1: Well past his best, but fulfilled his role in what is likely one of his final outings for Real Madrid.

LB: Álvaro Carreras—6.9: Recovered possession that led to Gonzalo's opener. Will earn some credit for his pressing intensity, but switched off defensively in a moment that nearly gifted Real Oviedo an equalizer.

RM: Franco Mastantuono—7.8: A handful of half-chances were the highlight of his rare start. Lively in possession and showcased his dribbling ability, though without any end product.

CM: Eduardo Camavinga—7.6: Much of his defensive work was not required against Real Oviedo, but he still helped his compatriot dominate the midfield in the aftermath of his World Cup omission.

CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—7.3: Spurned a golden opportunity in the 40th minute that left him searching for answers. Comfortably controlled the center of the pitch.

LM: Brahim Díaz—8.4: A constant threat every time he received the ball. Embarked on several impressive solo runs, but couldn't produce the final touch himself. He made amends by teeing up Gonzalo instead.

ST: Gonzalo García—8.2: Netted his first goal since February 14 in a redemptive display following his Clásico letdown. Also created the most chances of any player on the night.

ST: Vinicius Junior—7.1: Appeared disengaged for long stretches and failed to make the most of the limited moments he was involved. Once again fell victim to Bernabéu boos.

SUB: Jude Bellingham (64' for Tchouaméni)—7.7: Powered home a crucial goal. Demonstrated his natural talent.

SUB: Dani Carvajal (64' for Alexander-Arnold)—6.4: Kept a low profile.

SUB: Kylian Mbappé (69' for Gonzalo)—7.0: Played the pass that Bellingham converted. Off the mark on his own attempts.

SUB: César Palacios (64' for Díaz)—6.2: Strung together a few neat passes.

SUB: Daniel Yáñez (64' for Mastanuono)—6.3: Managed just nine touches.

Subs not used: Fran González (GK), Sergio Mestre (GK), Antonio Rüdiger, Fran García, Joan Martínez, Thiago Pitarch.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid's Comfortable Win