Kylian Mbappe continued his electrifying form, finding the back of the net for the fourth straight game as Real Madrid narrowly escaped a late scare to defeat Deportivo Alaves 3-2 in their La Liga encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday. With this victory, Los Blancos, currently second in the league standings, reduced the gap to just one point behind Barcelona, who will host Getafe later in the week.
The match unfolded as a lopsided affair, with Madrid dominating proceedings from the outset. The Basque side, despite their solid start to the season, found themselves on the back foot against a relentless Real Madrid attack. Carlo Ancelotti, the Madrid manager, had stressed the importance of a strong start after a lackluster first-half performance in previous matches. His words seemed to resonate with his players as they swiftly took the lead within the first minute of the match.
Vinicius Junior, making his return to the starting lineup, weaved his way through the Alaves defense and delivered a precise cross to Lucas Vazquez, who tapped the ball into the back of the net for an early lead. The dominance continued, with Real Madrid consistently putting pressure on Alaves’ defense. However, it took until the 40th minute for them to double their advantage. A moment of brilliance from Mbappe, who flicked a clever pass to Jude Bellingham, saw the English midfielder return the favor by setting up his teammate for a clinical finish. Mbappe’s goal was his fifth in the league this season, showcasing his continued goal-scoring prowess.
The second half saw Real Madrid extend their lead even further. Rodrygo, with a burst of pace, surged forward from the right flank and found the back of the net, sending the ball through the legs of Alaves goalkeeper Antonio Sivera. Despite being outplayed for the majority of the match, Alaves showed resilience and spirit in the final stages. In a dramatic turn of events, they pulled one back in the 85th minute through a beautifully curled strike from Carlos Benavidez Protesoni. Just two minutes later, Alaves stunned the Bernabeu with a second goal. Protesoni, this time turning provider, delivered a precise pass over the top to Kike Garcia, who made no mistake with his finish.
Despite Alaves’ late surge, Real Madrid managed to hold on for a vital victory, extending their unbeaten league run to an impressive 39 games. Their next challenge will be a tough derby match against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano on Sunday. It was at the Rojiblancos’ stadium where Real Madrid last tasted defeat in the top flight, exactly a year ago. The intensity of the upcoming derby promises to be a spectacle for the fans, and Real Madrid will be looking to continue their strong start to the season.
