Night fell over the Santiago Bernabeu, but the lights blazing from its colossal structure turned the Madrid sky silver.
The stadium pulsed with 85,000 roaring Madridistas, their chants echoing like the beat of war drums.
Real Madrid wasn't just starting a new season, they were launching a crusade to reclaim Spanish football's throne.
In the locker room, Xabi Alonso stood before his squad, arms folded, calm yet commanding. Since the time of the timeless Carlo Ancelloti, Real Madrid had changed a lot under the tutelage of their new manager.
The former midfield maestro had molded this team in his image; disciplined, tactical, and relentless.
"Barcelona think they own Spain," Alonso said, voice low, measured. "They've paraded their quadruple. They call Sam a Football God, and they have the world kneeling".
He leaned forward, eyes like knives.
"But this is the Bernabeu. This is Madrid. And here, we don't kneel. Here, we dominate. Here, we take everything".
Vinicius pounded his chest, fire burning in his eyes. "Let's make them remember who the kings are!"
Mbappe cracked his neck, quiet but deadly. Bellingham nodded solemnly, fists clenched.
And then, they stepped out of the dressing room.
Real Madrid had a point to make in the opening matchday of the season.
Xavi Alonso's New Madrid started in a 4-3-3 formation with Thibaut Courtois in goal, while ahead of him was the defensive quadruple of Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, and Ferland Mendy.
Due to disciplinary issues, Trent Alexander Arnold started on the bench for Real Madrid's first game of the season.
In midfield was the trio of Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, and Federico Valverde, while the attacking trio were the regular front 3 of Vinicius Junior in left wing, Rodrygo in right wing, and Kylian Mbappe as the striker.
It was a fearsome and dynamic starting XI.
From the opening whistle, Real Madrid struck like a pack of wolves.
In the 3rd minute, Rodrygo's blistering pace shredded Sevilla's right flank, his cross nearly bundled in by Kylian Mbappe.
Fast-forward to the 7th minute and Real Madrid were still relentlessly pushing, Valverde blasting a rocket from 25 yards, rattling the bar.
In the 12 minute, they pushed again as a fluid passing move saw Vinicius dance past two defenders, drawing a desperate save from Sevilla's goalkeeper.
During the first few dozen minutes of the game, it was all Real Madrid.
Sevilla tried to hold, dropping deep in a low block, but Alonso's Madrid pressed like a noose tightening, suffocating them.
And then, in the 18th minute, Madrid drew first blood.
Bellingham intercepted a loose pass in midfield, surging forward like a battering ram. With Sevilla's defenders backing off, he unleashed a curling strike from outside the box.
Courtois leaped from the other end in celebration as the ball hit the net.
1-0 Real Madrid.
BOOM!
The Santiago Bernabeu exploded. White flags waved furiously in the stands.
"Hala Madrid!" chants rolled like thunder.
Real Madrid got their opener, but they didn't relent due to it. Rather, they doubled down, pushing Sevilla even more.
And then, in the 33rd minute, the Mbappe effect ignited.
Sevilla barely had time to recover before Mbappe delivered a moment of pure chaos in the 33rd minute, leading to the second goal.
Picking up the ball near halfway, he accelerated with terrifying speed, slicing between two defenders before chipping a perfectly weighted ball to Rodrygo.
Rodrygo's first-time volley buried itself in the top corner.
2-0.
Mbappe didn't celebrate alone; he pointed to Alonso on the sideline, mouthing. "We're ready".
Real Madrid was dominating the game, and yet, as if that was not enough, having had a relatively quiet game compared to his fellow superstar teammates, Vinicius finally left a statement in the 42nd minute of the game.
Madrid's third came from him, ever the firebrand.
After dancing past his marker on the wing, he rifled a near-post strike so vicious the goalkeeper didn't move.
As he celebrated, arms outstretched, he turned toward a pitch-side camera.
"To the Football God," he shouted, voice dripping with venom. "One season wonder?" he grinned. "This is my league!"
The Bernabeu erupted in frenzied approval, feeding off the brewing rivalry.
The first half came to an end 3-0 in Madrid's favor.
Xavi Alonso's halftime instructions were clinical: control possession, humiliate Sevilla tactically, and send a message.
Federico Valverde dominated midfield duels. Bellingham roamed box to bos like a warlord, smothering counters with effortless grace. Arda Guler remained an endless box of creative brilliance, orchestrating the game.
While Mbappe, Rodrygo, and Vinicius toyed with defenders upfront, showcasing blistering pace on both flanks and through the middle.
And then, the final blows to round of a dominant performance game.
In the 62nd minute, Valverde thundered home a half-volley after a scrappy corner clearance to make it 4-0.
Still not satisfied, in the 76th minute, Mbappe, unselfish again, squared for Vinicius to tap in his second of the night to make it 5-0.
Sevilla collapsed completely, unable to match Madrid's intensity.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard screamed:
[FULL-TIME: Real Madrid 5-0 Sevilla]
It was not just a win, it was a statement from the Spanish Capital club.
Vinicius Jnr. claimed the first Madrid man of the match award for the season with his 2 goal performance, relentless dribbling, and fiery leadership that set the tone for the crushing 5-0 victory.
He terrorized Sevilla's backline all game, ignited the Bernabeu crowd, and kept the psychological rivalry with Sam burning hot.
It was a post-match firestorm at the end of the game as the media descended without mercy.
Mbappe, calm but cutting, responded. "Barcelona's great. Sam's great. But this is Madrid's era. We'll take it all".
Valverde, respectful, added his piece. "We know what they did last year. We're ready to fight every inch this season".
Vinicius was ever defiant. "Sam can score his pretty goals. But at the Bernabeu, we build legends. He's just a chapter. We're the whole book".
Bellingham, when confronted by the media, simply smirked. "Hansi Flick's high line? Fraudulent. Madrid's coming. Let's see how their self-proclaimed god handles a real storm".
After such an explosive game from Madrid and an even more explosive post-match interview, headlines ignited worldwide.
["Madrid Roars Back – 5-0 Demolition."]
["Vinicius calls Sam Moses a One-Season Wonder again."]
["La Liga War Begins – Barca and Madrid set for Clash of Gods."]
…
As Madrid celebrated in the locker room, Vinicius scrolled on his phone, grinning. A video showed Sam's scissor-kick goal against Betis replaying on loop.
For a moment, the grin faded.
In Barcelona, Sam sat in quiet gym after midnight, replaying Vinicius' post-match comments on his tablet.
He didn't flinch, didn't frown, he just smiled in amusement and whispered to himself. "War start".