Let’s be real. If you just looked at the scoreboard after the final whistle at Mendizorrotza, you’d think it was just another day at the office for the biggest club in the world. 2-1. Three points. Move on. But football is rarely that simple, is it?
The December 14 clash between Real Madrid vs Deportivo Alavés was a pressure cooker. Plain and simple. Coming into this one, Xabi Alonso—who is now navigating the choppy waters of the Madrid dugout—was feeling the heat. Big time. Three wins in nine games isn't just a "rough patch" in Madrid; it’s an existential crisis. People were talking. The "outside noise" Alonso mentioned after the game was becoming a roar.
Then there’s Alavés. They aren't some pushover. They're gritty.
The Night Rodrygo Saved the Script
Everyone expected Kylian Mbappé to be the story, and for a while, he was. In the 24th minute, Jude Bellingham—who honestly seems to have a GPS tracker on Mbappé at this point—found the Frenchman with a clinical pass. Mbappé didn't miss. That was his 17th league goal of the season. Clinical.
But here’s where things got weird.
Madrid didn't kill the game. They sort of drifted. You could feel the Mendizorrotza crowd sensing it. The atmosphere was hostile, loud, and very "Alavés." When Carlos Vicente came off the bench in the 68th minute and immediately scored, the place exploded. One touch, one clinical finish, and suddenly Xabi Alonso’s job security looked about as stable as a house of cards in a windstorm.
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For about eight minutes, Madrid looked rattled. Like, genuinely panicked.
Then came the 76th minute. Vinícius Júnior, who had been having a frustrating night (and later picked up a yellow for his troubles), went on one of those signature "I’m faster than everyone else" runs from the halfway line. He squared it. Rodrygo finished it.
Game over? Not quite. But enough to breathe.
The Controversy Nobody Can Agree On
We have to talk about the 87th minute. If you’re an Alavés fan, you’re probably still fuming. If you’re a Madridista, you’re probably wondering why it was even a debate.
Vinícius Júnior went down in the box.
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Eduardo Coudet, the Alavés boss, was absolutely livid after the match. He told La Liga TV it was either a penalty or a second yellow for diving. He wasn't wrong. The fact that the referee, García Verdura, didn't even look at the VAR monitor felt... well, it felt like classic La Liga. Even Antonio Blanco, the former Madrid man now playing for Alavés, seemed a bit stunned by how fast it all happened.
A Debut to Remember (and Forget)
Let’s talk about Víctor Valdepeñas.
Imagine being 19. You’re a kid. Because of a massive injury crisis at full-back, you’re thrown into a starting lineup for Real Madrid. Most kids would crumble. Valdepeñas actually played brilliantly for 67 minutes. He was composed. He was disciplined.
Then, one mistake.
The goal Madrid conceded came directly from his only real error of the night. That’s the cruelty of top-flight football. You can be perfect for an hour, but one slip-up against a guy like Carlos Vicente, and it's in the back of the net. Alonso was quick to defend him post-match, but that’s a scar that takes a minute to heal.
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By the Numbers: It Wasn't Dominant
If you think Madrid "controlled" this game, the stats tell a different story.
- Possession: Alavés actually had 52% of the ball.
- Dribbles: Both teams were tied at 48 successful take-ons.
- The Difference: Precision. Madrid had two big chances and took them both. Alavés had their moments, but they just couldn't beat Thibaut Courtois a second time.
What This Means for the Title Race
This win didn't just save Alonso’s blushes; it kept the season alive. Before this match, Barcelona was sitting seven points clear. Seven points feels like a mountain. With this result, the gap shrunk to four. It’s still a chase, but it’s a manageable one.
Alavés, meanwhile, is stuck in 12th. They’re good, but they’re inconsistent. They beat Real Sociedad and then lose four out of five. That’s the mid-table life.
Honestly, the biggest takeaway from Real Madrid vs Deportivo Alavés wasn't the three points. It was the fragility. This Madrid team is world-class, but they are vulnerable. They rely heavily on the Vini-Mbappé-Rodrygo trio to bail them out when the system fails.
What to Watch Next
If you're following the fallout of this fixture, keep an eye on these specific movements:
- The Full-Back Situation: Watch the January transfer rumors. Madrid cannot rely on 19-year-old debutants if they want to win the Champions League. They need cover.
- Mbappé’s Pivot: He’s scoring, but the chemistry with Vinícius still feels like two soloists trying to play the same piano. Watch how Alonso tweaks their positioning in the next few games against Sevilla and Getafe.
- Alavés Recovery: They have a run of winnable games coming up. If Carlos Vicente continues this form, he won't be on the bench for long.
The next time these two meet is April 22 at the Bernabéu. By then, we’ll know if this December win was a turning point or just a temporary band-aid on a deeper problem. For now, Madrid stays in the hunt. Barely.