Mbappe and Bellingham on target as Real Madrid beat Athletic Club to close out frustrating season

Following a chaotic final month of the season, Real appeared resolute to finish the campaign on a high at the Bernabeu, as the club readied itself to say goodbye to legendary right-back Carvajal.

The Spaniard, playing his 451st and last match for Los Blancos, turned back the clock in the first 15 minutes, curling a superb pass to Gonzalo Garcia, who took a single touch to steady himself before finishing confidently past Alex Padilla.

That early goal set the tone for the home side, as Thiago Pitarch came close to doubling the advantage, only for Padilla to deny the midfielder's attempt.

At the opposite end, Athletic found it hard to create any meaningful chances in the final third, as Gorka Guruzeta headed wastefully off target.

Having suffered only one defeat in the previous seven encounters (five wins, one draw), Real doubled their lead before the interval, as Jude Bellingham finished powerfully from Pitarch's lofted pass to net for the second time in three games.

Unfazed, the visitors quickly halved the deficit in first-half added time via Guruzeta, who volleyed in from Inaki Williams' inviting cross to hand Los Leones a way back into the match.

However, any thoughts of a revival were soon snuffed out by Los Blancos at the beginning of the second half, as Kylian Mbappe claimed his 25th La Liga goal of the campaign with a clinical low drive from the edge of the area.

Athletic were not willing to give up without a battle, and Ernesto Valverde's side continued to pose a danger, with Guruzeta and Adama Boiro both coming close.

Those opportunities turned out to be the visitors' best chance of getting back into the game, as Real sailed through the final moments, adding a late fourth via substitute Brahim Diaz's close-range finish.

And while Los Leones did net a consolation goal following Urko Izeta's towering header in the area, Real rounded off the season with a third consecutive league victory, ending eight points adrift of champions Barcelona.

As for Athletic, they failed to achieve a sixth successive top-half finish, having lost eight of their last 12 La Liga matches.