Los Blancos: First-Half Dominance, Second-Half Sloppiness
Real Madrid nearly blew their three-goal advantage as they edged Alaves 3-2 in La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti's side had the game almost wrapped up before blowing a three-goal lead in the final minutes as Alaves scored twice to complete the score in injury time. Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo tore apart Alaves's defense in the first half but the three goals that will be remembered for most were scored by the visitors within two minutes of injury time.
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Rampant First-Half Performance
Los Blancos took the lead early on when the most unlikely source did the job, Lucas Vazquez slotting home Vinicius Jr's precise cutback. The lead was doubled when Kylian Mbappe, in combination with Jude Bellingham, fired in an easy finish and for anybody who thought PSG might have been vulnerable now they would be proved wrong. Rodrygo added the third just a few minutes into halftime chipping the ball past the goalkeeper as he slid by two defenders.
Almost four for the young star Endrick as he played on a deflected shot to hit the post, but Madrid couldn't hold that level of intensity.
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Alaves responded in extra time, finally scoring through Santos
Alaves refused to go quietly, however, with the veteran found a consolation when he curled a shot from outside the box and two minutes later by Kike Garcia to set up a nervy conclusion for Real Madrid. Some smart defensive plays will ensure that Madrid clung on to their slender lead.
Player Ratings
Goalkeeper and Defense
- Thibaut Courtois (5/10): Had little to do for most of the match but was beaten twice late on by long-range efforts.
- Lucas Vazquez (5/10): Opened the scoring with a fine finish but lost focus in the latter stages, leading to Alaves' first goal.
- Antonio Rudiger (7/10): Quick and alert in defense, his pace helped nullify some Alaves attacks. Not responsible for the goals conceded.
- Eder Militao (7/10): Solid performance until his substitution, after which the defense weakened. Did well to keep things tidy at the back.
- Ferland Mendy (6/10): Strong defensively, allowing Vinicius Jr to flourish offensively without worrying too much about tracking back.
Midfield
- Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10): Controlled the tempo in the first half but looked shaky in the second. His best half of the season, but consistency was lacking.
- Federico Valverde (8/10): Non-stop work rate, contributing both defensively and offensively. His energy was key to Madrid’s early dominance.
- Jude Bellingham (7/10): Held the ball too long at times but linked up beautifully with Mbappe for Madrid's second. Tired towards the end.
Attack
- Vinicius Jr (8/10): Dazzling on the ball, he constantly caused problems for Alaves' defense. Assisted the opener but couldn’t find a goal himself.
- Kylian Mbappe (8/10): Showed far more energy than in recent matches, taking full advantage of the space left by Alaves. Linked up well with his teammates and scored a clinical second goal.
- Rodrygo (8/10): Patient and disciplined, got his goal and contributed defensively. Despite playing out of position, he was decisive when it mattered.
Substitutes and Manager
- Endrick (5/10): Hit the post shortly after coming on and nearly saw red for a dangerous challenge.
- Luka Modric (5/10): Struggled to make an impact, both defensively and offensively.
- Jesus Vallejo (3/10): Came on to rest Militao but had a difficult 15 minutes, nearly costing Madrid the win.
- Arda Guler (N/A): Played a small role, but made a couple of crucial defensive interventions in the final minutes.
- Carlo Ancelotti (5/10): A game of two halves for the manager. His team was fantastic in the first, but their drop in form during the second half will be a major concern.
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Real Madrid's vulnerabilities on defense almost sent the outing to disaster despite an enthralling first half as Ancelotti's side remains in need of finding more consistency so that it doesn't experience scares in games like the one it had against Alaves.
With inputs from agencies
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