Julen Lopetegui returned to the Bernabéu for the first time and befell the same fate as the men who preceded him. You have to go back 14 coaches and more than a decade to find the last manager to win here after Sevilla were defeated for a 13th consecutive visit. Yet this did feel different and Lopetegui – whose last job ended after just 139 days with
Real Madrid – departed angrily at full-time, not unreasonably convinced that his current team could have had more.
Lopetegui had seen an opening goal ruled out by the VAR and a wonderful last-minute opportunity for new signing Youssef En-Nesyri flash past the post. He also saw Casemiro score a first ever double to lead Madrid to a 2-1 victory, sending them top of La Liga before
Barcelona host Granada on Sunday. For a defensive midfielder, the Brazilian has a habit of appearing when they need him – and this time they did. This might have been different.