By: Osabuohien Imuetinyanosa
Real Madrid claimed a hard-fought 2–1 victory away at Deportivo Alavés as goals from Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo earned the visitors a much-needed three points in the La Liga title race.
The win keeps Madrid within touching distance of league leaders Barcelona, reducing the gap at the top and maintaining pressure as the season progresses.
First Half: Mbappé Breaks the Deadlock
Real Madrid started brightly and nearly took an early lead when Mbappé struck the post inside the opening ten minutes. Rodrygo and Valverde also tested the Alavés defence as the visitors dominated possession.
The breakthrough arrived in the 24th minute. Mbappé collected the ball on the left, cut inside onto his stronger foot, and curled a precise effort beyond the goalkeeper to give Madrid a deserved lead.
Jude Bellingham thought he had doubled the advantage shortly after, but his goal was ruled out for handball following a VAR check. Alavés struggled to create clear chances before the break, although the hosts felt fortunate not to see Raúl Asencio booked for a late challenge.
Second Half: Alavés Fight Back
Alavés emerged with greater intensity after halftime and came close through Pablo Ibáñez, whose close-range effort was superbly saved by Thibaut Courtois. The hosts also appealed for a penalty after another Asencio incident, but VAR again waved play on.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 68th minute when substitute Carlos Vicente struck a well-placed finish to level the score, igniting the home crowd and shifting momentum.
Just as Alavés began to believe in a comeback, Madrid struck decisively. In the 76th minute, Vinícius Júnior delivered a dangerous cross from the left, and Rodrygo arrived at the far post to calmly finish, restoring Madrid’s lead.
Late drama followed as Vinícius went down in the penalty area, but the referee once again refused to award a spot-kick. Madrid managed the closing stages professionally to secure all three points.
Match Summary
Deportivo Alavés 1–2 Real Madrid
Vicente (68’)
Mbappé (24’), Rodrygo (76’)
Despite an unconvincing performance at times, Real Madrid showed resilience and attacking quality when it mattered most. Mbappé continued his impressive scoring form, while Rodrygo proved decisive once again.
For Alavés, the defeat was harsh after a spirited second-half display, but they were ultimately undone by Madrid’s individual brilliance.
Real Madrid march on — the title race remains very much alive.
