The Santiago Bernabéu witnessed a rollercoaster of emotions on Tuesday night. Real Madrid - under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti - took to the pitch in a 4-3-3 formation, aiming to control the game and launch quick attacks. Courtois guarded the goal, backed by a defensive line consisting of Lucas Vázquez, Rüdiger, Militão, and Mendy. In midfield, Valverde, Tchouaméni, and Bellingham were responsible for creation and containment, while Rodrygo, Vinícius Jr., and Mbappé formed a dream attacking trio.

 

Alavés, on the other hand, opted for a 4-4-2 with Sivera in goal. Mouriño, Abqar, Diarra, and Manu Sánchez formed the defensive line, aiming for solidity and containment. In midfield, Benavídez, Blanco, Novoa, and Conechny had the mission to close spaces and hinder Real Madrid's ball circulation. Up front, Villalibre and Luka Romero hoped to take advantage of any counterattack or loose ball to surprise the Madrid defence.

 

First Half: Madrid Dominance and Exquisite Goals

 

Alavés's game plan, however, was quickly overcome by the speed and precision of Los Blancos. Barely 55 seconds had passed when Vinícius, in a display of speed and skill, left Mouriño behind with two dizzying dribbles and crossed the ball into the heart of the penalty area. There appeared Lucas Vázquez, right-back converted for the occasion, to finish with ease and open the scoring. The early goal, a rarity in La Liga for Madrid this season, filled the fans with joy and foreshadowed a night of “champagne” football.

 

Madrid, driven by the energy of Valverde and Bellingham in midfield and the creativity of Vinícius and Mbappé in attack, continued to create scoring chances. In the 22nd minute, a brilliant triangulation between Bellingham, Vinícius, and Mbappé culminated with the Frenchman sending the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed for a clear offside.

 

Despite the brewing refereeing controversy, with yellow cards shown to Valverde and Vinícius for protesting uncalled fouls, Real Madrid continued to dominate the game. Just before halftime, Mbappé produced a signature move: an exquisite backheel to Bellingham, who returned the ball with a precise pass into space. Mbappé, with a lightning-fast change of pace, got rid of his marker and beat Sivera with a powerful shot across the goal. 2-0.

 

Second Half: Complacency, Alavés's Response, and a Nail-Biting Finish

 

The second half started with the same intensity. In the 48th minute, Lucas Vázquez initiated the play from the right wing, combining with Bellingham. The Englishman switched the play to the left, where Rodrygo controlled the ball, faced his marker, and - with an explosive change of pace - burst into the box. Facing Sivera's advance, Rodrygo finished with a low shot that went through the goalkeeper's legs, extending the lead to 3-0.

 

With such a favourable scoreline, Madrid relaxed. Alavés, who had made tactical changes by bringing on Guridi, Rebbach, Guevara, Kike García, and Pica, seized the opportunity. In the 76th minute, Rebbach came close to narrowing the gap with a shot that hit the post, shaking the Bernabéu's foundations.

 

The first substitutions arrived around the 70th minute. Valverde and Rodrygo came off to make way for Modric and Endrick. “Bobby Charlton” quickly showed his potential, receiving a pass on the edge of the box, turning powerfully, and unleashing a shot that crashed against the crossbar after grazing a defender.

 

In the 78th minute, with the match seemingly won, Ancelotti took the opportunity to rotate his squad, bringing on Vallejo and Güler in place of Militao and Mbappé. This offered them a chance to gain some match fitness without any substantial risk.

 

At that moment, everything seemed calm and joyful. But Alavés, far from giving up, narrowed the gap in the 85th minute. An error in Lucas Vázquez's ball clearance allowed Kike García to recover the ball and assist Protesoni (Benavídez), who, from the edge of the box, unleashed a powerful shot that found the back of the net after hitting the post. And just a minute later, a long ball over the Madrid defence found Kike García, who controlled the ball and beat Courtois with a low shot, making it 3-2.

 

The game, which seemed under control, turned into a nightmare in the final minutes. A revitalised Alavés threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, creating several dangerous chances. Madrid, with the introduction of Fran García for Vinícius in added time, tried to contain the onslaught, but the scare was significant. Despite the final attempts, including a clear chance for Endrick after a good pass from Modric, the score remained unchanged.

 

Conclusion: A Win with Lessons Learned

 

Despite the late scare, Real Madrid secured three important points and maintained their unbeaten streak in La Liga. However, the match left some lessons to be learned: the need to maintain concentration for the full 90 minutes and the importance of not relaxing against any opponent.

 

The refereeing performance of Muñiz Ruiz also generated controversy, with questionable decisions that harmed Madrid and favoured Alavés. The repeated fouls by Mouriño on Vinícius without punishment and the yellow cards shown to Madrid players for protesting caused discontent among the fans and Ancelotti himself.

 

In short, Madrid showed two sides in this match: a dominant and effective team in the first half, and a disconnected and vulnerable team in the second. Despite the final scare, the victory allows Los Blancos to continue their fight for the title, but it also makes it clear that they must improve their concentration and defensive solidity if they want to aspire to the top. The next challenge will be the Madrid derby, where Ancelotti's team must show that they have learned their lesson and are ready to compete at the highest level.