Real Madrid ended a run of back-to-back defeats as they secured a 2-1 win at Mendizorroza to keep pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a four-point gap. Los Blancos beat Alavés courtesy of goals from Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo Goes either side of an equaliser from Carlos Vicente on the counter.
Three answers
1. Who would be fit to play in defence?
It’s been some time since Real Madrid have had to handle such an extensive injury list, but this crisis situation was set to force Xabi Alonso’s hand. David
Alaba, Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ferland Mendy and Éder Militão were all out injured, as well as makeshift option Eduardo Camavinga, while Carvajal, Álvaro Carreras and Fran García were suspended. That forced Alonso to call up Castilla option Víctor Valdepeñas as an emergency left-back, though much also hinged on the fitness of Antonio Rüdiger and Dean Huijsen who were both aiming to return from injury. All three would get minutes, with Valdepeñas and Rüdiger starting, with Valdepeñas becoming the first player since Dani Carvajal and Isco in 2013 to record more than five tackles and more than 12 duels on his Real Madrid debut.
2. Would the improvement from Wednesday night continue?
When the final whistle blew at the Bernabéu to give Manchester City a 2-1 victory, there were mixed feelings as Real Madrid crashed to a second defeat in four days, but with the feeling that the team had produced one of their best performances of at least the last month. The team played with a clear plan, intensity, and fight that hadn’t been witnessed against the likes of Celta Vigo or Girona. The doubt was whether that was playing up to the occasion, a European elite showing up in your own backyard, or a meaningful tactical improvement. An away trip to Vitoria-Gasteiz to take on Alavés in tough conditions was about as big a test as Real Madrid could face, and they returned to a level closer to that which struggled against the likes of Elche or Rayo Vallecano in recent weeks, relying on some magic from Kylian Mbappé, struggling to break down a low block and then defending poorly. There is still work to be done.
3. Would the combination of Rodrygo, Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinícius work?
It was quite common to see this quartet in action together, particularly early on in the 2024/25 campaign, but this was the first time that the four players would start the same game together under Xabi Alonso. Rodrygo was being rewarded for a superb performance against Manchester City in midweek, and he showed why by scoring his second goal in as many games after going nine months without scoring. What was most intriguing about the set up was that we saw much more of Kylian Mbappé drifting to the left than usual, rather than in his central role, seemingly interchanging with Vinícius Júnior. There were also minutes for Franco Mastantuono, his first appearance since November 1st, Brahim Díaz, who hasn’t started a game since November 9th, and Gonzalo García, as the full offensive repertoire were on offer.
Three questions
1. What does this mean for Xabi Alonso?
Media reports claimed that anything other than a win could see Xabi Alonso lose his job, and while Los Blancos did get the three points, it was anything but a convincing win to allay any fears. It’s true that Alonso was handling a major injury crisis, particularly in defence, and had the bravery to call up options from Castilla rather than put square pegs in round holes, but at this point, the continual delay to dismiss him seems to be delaying the inevitable. Messages from the club continue to point to discontent, if not with results then with fitness levels and locker room management, and insist that Alonso must also secure wins against Talavera de la Reina in the Copa del Rey and against Sevilla at the Bernabéu next Saturday in order to keep his job into 2026. Such demands seem farcical, with Alonso limping on without the full support of the club behind him.
2. Should Real Madrid have had a penalty?
It made no impact on the end result, but Real Madrid appeared to have a clear penalty denied on 88 minutes as Nahuel Tenaglia kicked Vinícius Júnior as the Brazilian dribbled past him. “It’s a penalty, but he hasn’t given it because it’s me,” Vinícius stated angrily. Yet the most reasonable comment on the incident came from Alavés coach Eduardo Coudet, who said, “it was either a penalty or a second yellow card for diving”. Referee Víctor García Verdura opted not to award either, with VAR official Pablo González Fuertes then refusing to get involved from behind the screen. The contact was clear and evident, and it was surprising that neither referee considered it a penalty offence.
3. Why did Xabi Alonos call out Víctor Valdepeñas?
In his post-match press conference, Xabi Alonso made the surprising choice to criticise debutant Víctor Valdepeñas, claiming that, “we conceded on the only play where Valdepeñas made a mistake, and they took advantage of it”. It seemed a bizarre decision for the coach to so blatantly point the finger at the third youngest debutant this century, after only Raphael Varane and Achraf Hakimi. He would go on to say, “I say that to highlight how great he has been and how important he was to us,” but the decision to label Valdepeñas for the goal conceded appears harsh, given that it was Antonio Rüdiger who played Carlos Vicente as he failed to step up the line to play him offside. It only fueled concerns that Alonso is playing to suit the bigger egos in the locker room at the expense of the others, with Valdepeñas playing the price this time.
