Real Madrid Edges Alaves Despite Mbappe’s Red Card

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain — Real Madrid secured a tense 1-0 victory against LaLiga rivals Alaves on Saturday, overcoming a first-half red card for star forward Kylian Mbappe. The match at Mendizorroza featured a standout moment from Eduardo Camavinga, who scored in the 34th minute with a stunning curling shot from outside the box, marking a pivotal moment in a tightly contested game.

The lead came after an earlier goal from Raul Asencio was disallowed following a VAR review, putting pressure on Madrid to capitalize. However, the tide turned sharply when Mbappe was shown a red card for a reckless tackle on Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco, a former Madrid academy player. The Frenchman lunged late and high onto Blanco’s shin, leaving Carlo Ancelotti‘s side to navigate the second half with just ten men.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Madrid managed to equalize the numbers on the pitch when Vinicius Junior was fouled by Manu Sanchez in the 70th minute. The match continued to be fiercely contested, with both teams creating chances but struggling to find the back of the net.

In stoppage time, Madrid had an opportunity to double their lead when Jude Bellingham was set up by Vinicius. Unfortunately, Bellingham’s weak effort went straight to Alaves goalkeeper Jesus Owono, maintaining the narrow margin at 1-0. Madrid’s win moved them to within four points of league leaders Barcelona, with only seven games left in the season.

Meanwhile, Alaves remains precariously perched in 17th place, just one point above the relegation zone with 30 points. The defeat adds to their challenges as they strive to escape the relegation battle.

Camavinga’s impressive strike marked his first goal in LaLiga since March 5, 2022, when he also scored a breathtaking long-range effort against Real Sociedad. This victory further solidified Madrid’s dominance in Vitoria, as they achieved their fifth consecutive league win at Alaves, only the second team in LaLiga history to do so, following Osasuna’s streak from 2006 to 2023.

The match statistics showed Madrid with 11 shots, four of which were on target, resulting in an expected goals (xG) value of 0.74. Alaves mirrored this, tallying 13 shots with six on target but struggled to challenge Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois effectively.

The implications of Mbappe’s red card are significant for Madrid, as the forward faces a suspension that could extend to several matches. If he is sidelined for more than two games, he will miss the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26, a potential setback for Madrid’s hopes in the tournament. Notably, Mbappe is just the second Madrid player to receive a red card in the first half of a LaLiga match this century, following Ruud van Nistelrooy’s ejection against Atletico Madrid in 2008.