Spain Striker Karim Benzema scored a penalty to help Real Madrid equalize 1-1 when hosting Bilbao in the final round of La Liga.
In the 71st minute, the referee caught Yuri Berchiche's foul when he jumped up to compete for the ball with Eder Militao in the Bilbao penalty area, giving Real a penalty. Benzema kicked the penalty into the middle of the goal, equalizing for Real.
The 35-year-old French striker scored his 354th goal for Real. He left the club as the second-highest scorer, ahead of Raul Gonzalez's 323 goals and just behind Cristiano Ronaldo's 450. Shortly before the match on the evening of June 4, Real confirmed that they had terminated Benzema's contract one year early. The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner is said to be preparing to play in Saudi Arabia.
Benzema ended his career at Real in a draw with Bilbao on the evening of June 4. Photo: Reuters
Benzema left the field immediately after the equalizer. He received applause from the Bernabeu crowd. After the match, Real players cheered Benzema.
The match against Bilbao was also the farewell match for Real Madrid for Marco Asensio, who came on in the 58th minute to replace Dani Ceballos. The Bernabeu crowd also gave a round of applause to the Spanish striker. Asensio could join PSG in the next few days.
Before Benzema's equaliser, Bilbao started better. They could have opened the scoring in the 10th minute, after Toni Kroos touched the ball in Real's penalty area. But goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved Vesga's penalty.
Key developments of the match Real Madrid 1-1 Bilbao.
Undaunted by the missed opportunity, Bilbao continued to threaten Real's goal. The visitors had 11 shots, nearly double the runners-up's six. In the 49th minute, Bilbao broke Real's net. Sancet's first shot deflected off Courtois, then the rebound opened the scoring.
But Benzema's equaliser left Bilbao with no hope. The visitors finished La Liga with 51 points and eighth place. Osasuna's 2-1 win over Girona in the same game saw them move up to seventh place with 53 points and a ticket to the Conference League.
Real players cheered Benzema after the match on the evening of June 4. Photo: AP
Real finished second with 78 points, just one point ahead of Atletico. Barca led with 88 points. Next season, Barca, Real, Atletico, Sociedad and Sevilla will represent La Liga in the Champions League, while Villarreal and Betis will compete in the Europa League. The three teams that will be relegated are Valladolid, Espanyol and Elche.
Thanh Quy
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