Introduction – Alavés vs Real Madrid
The Alavés vs. Real Madrid match, played at the Mendizorroza Stadium on the evening of December 14, 2025, had everything: goals, pressure, a comeback, and drama until the very end. In a thrilling game for the 16th round of La Liga 2025/26, Real Madrid won 2-1, with goals from Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo, keeping the Merengues firmly in pursuit of league leaders Barcelona.
Alavés opened the scoring at a critical moment and even believed in a historic home victory, but Real Madrid reacted with character despite an uneven recovery. The win brought relief not only to the squad but also to coach Xabi Alonso, who had been under intense pressure after a series of disappointing results.
This article provides an in-depth analysis of everything about Alavés vs. Real Madrid: context, lineups, tactical analysis, key moments, detailed statistics, impact on the standings, and projections for the remainder of the season in the top tier of Spanish football.
La Liga context – The weight of Alavés x Real Madrid
At the start of the round, Real Madrid occupied 2nd place with 39 points, still chasing leaders Barcelona, who had won their game that round. The importance of an away win cannot be underestimated: while Barça seemed more solid at the top of the table, Real needed to show the ability to react and avoid stumbles that would complicate their title race.
On the other hand, Alavés was situated in the middle of the table with 18 points and had been performing balanced home games, making life difficult for theoretically bigger teams.
Pre-match – Expectations and challenges for Alavés and Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s expectations
Real Madrid were not in their best form before facing Alavés. A run of just two wins in their last seven games had raised doubts about the team’s stability under Xabi Alonso, who felt the pressure to end a drought of positive results.
The presence of Mbappé, recently recovered from injury, and the return of key players were seen as a chance to revive the team’s attacking power. The tactical expectation was clear: control the game with possession, create chances through transitions, and press to build an advantage without exposing the defense to counter-attacks.
Alavés’ expectations
For Alavés, facing Real Madrid represented a great opportunity to measure their strength against one of their main title rivals, and playing at Mendizorroza was seen as a real possibility to score points. The Vitoria-Gasteiz team had been defeating difficult opponents at their home stadium and relied on solid marking and quick transitions to surprise their opponents.
The objective was clear: to exploit any moment of defensive disorganization from Real Madrid to test the goalkeeper and try to pull off a surprise victory. Even so, the mission was arduous against a team with superior technical skills.
Lineups and tactical analysis – Alavés vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid (4-3-3 / 4-2-3-1 alternating phases)
Real Madrid opted for a formation that prioritized controlling the game through the middle, with players like Jude Bellingham, Valverde, and Tchouaméni to maintain possession and distribute the offensive rhythm. Mbappé, Rodrygo, and Vinícius Jr. were explosive players to break lines.
The tactical plan had the following main objectives:
- Moderate high pressure, aiming to recover the ball quickly;
- Switching positions between attackers to confuse defensive lines;
- Progression down the flank, exploiting the speed of Mbappé and Rodrygo.
Alavés (5-4-1 / 4-4-2 flexible)
Alavés responded with a compact formation, reinforcing the midfield and relying on low blocks to avoid spaces between the lines. Quick transitions were their main offensive weapon, risking counter-attacks as soon as they recovered the ball.
The initial tactical stance was:
- Solid defense with short lines;
- Counter-attacks directed at Rodri Blanco and Vicente;
- Pressure for strategic surprises, rather than continuous attempts at attack.
First half – Controlled pace and initial superiority for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid started the match with a clear intention to control the game. After the first few minutes adjusting possession and attempting infiltrations, the visitors were the first to create a dangerous chance and, in the 24th minute, opened the scoring.
The goal came from a clever exchange of passes between Rodrygo and Bellingham, who found space behind the defense for Mbappé to finish precisely into the back of the net.
Despite the lead, Real Madrid failed to translate their initial dominance into more impressive goalscoring results, lacking depth in some plays and better-executed finishing.
Alavés, in turn, responded with defensive compactness and created some transition plays, albeit without great danger, forcing Real to be patient and intelligent in order not to expose their defensive system.
Second half – Alavés react and Real Madrid control the comeback.
In the second half, the match became more balanced. Alavés gained confidence after midfield adjustments and managed to put more pressure on Real, even equalizing in the 68th minute thanks to Carlos Vicente, who took advantage of a good pass and shot firmly into the opponent’s goal.
The draw ignited the stadium and momentarily shook Real Madrid’s emotional balance, causing them to struggle more on the counter-attack and forcing important saves from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid’s reaction was swift, and in the 76th minute, during a quick transition, Vinícius Jr. set up Rodrygo with a precise pass, and the Brazilian struck firmly to score the winning goal.
This sequence of events — Alavés’ equalizer and Real’s immediate response — was decisive in defining the game and demonstrated the maturity of the Madrid squad in reacting under pressure.
Individual Performance – Key Players in Alavés vs Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé
Mbappé returned to the team after a period of injury and scored an important goal in the first half, combining speed, intelligence and composure in his finishing to open the scoring. His contribution was crucial in Real Madrid gaining an early advantage.
Rodrygo
Rodrygo not only scored the winning goal, but also displayed tactical discipline and aggressiveness in the penetrating run that led to the visitors’ second goal.
Jude Bellingham
The Englishman was a key player in the offensive organization, providing assists and circulating well, helping to break through the opposing defense’s lines even during moments of intense pressure from Alavés.
Thibaut Courtois
The Belgian goalkeeper demonstrated his experience with key saves that prevented Alavés from taking a definitive lead, especially when the home team’s pressure intensified.
Full statistics – Alavés x Real Madrid
| Statistic | Alavés | Real Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 1 | 2 |
| Ball possession | 38% | 62% |
| Finishing touches | 10 | 16 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 8 |
| Accurate passes | 385 | 611 |
| Passing accuracy | 79% | 88% |
| Corner kicks | 4 | 9 |
| xG (Expected Goals) | 1.02 | 2.43 |
| Mistakes committed | 13 | 11 |
| Yellow cards | 3 | 2 |
| Aerial duel won. | 46% | 54% |
| Progressive passes | 78 | 142 |
| Passes leading to shots | 6 | 12 |
| Ball recoveries in midfield | 12 | 18 |
These numbers show Real Madrid’s clear superiority in terms of possession, shots on goal, and build-up play, even in the face of Alavés’ resistance.
Impact of Alavés vs Real Madrid on the La Liga standings.
The victory brought Real Madrid to 39 points, keeping them 4 points behind leaders Barcelona, who won their game in the previous round. This keeps the title race open and puts additional pressure on Real to continue winning away from home.
For Alavés, the result was frustrating, but the performance showed that the team has the ability to compete and make things difficult for top teams, especially in balanced tactical matches.
Injuries, debuts, and squad context
The game also marked Mbappé’s return after a suspension due to injury, an important boost for Real Madrid’s attack during a busy period. Furthermore, the match featured the debut of young full-back Víctor Valdepeñas, who showed defensive composure in tense moments.
These details reflect the need to rotate the squad during a long season, where national and European competitions demand squad depth.
Atmosphere and fan reaction in Mendizorroza
The Alavés fans pushed their team from the start, creating an atmosphere of expectation and pressure to try and surprise Real Madrid. Even with the unfavorable score, the fans maintained vibrant support, which shows the team’s strength at home.
Meanwhile, the Real Madrid fans in attendance witnessed signs of resilience and a capacity for reaction, two qualities that will be essential if the team truly intends to fight for the title until the final rounds.
Conclusion – Alavés vs. Real Madrid highlights mental strength and title ambitions.
The Alavés vs. Real Madrid match ended with a 2-1 victory, but the story of the game goes far beyond the score. It was a duel of nuances: technical control versus tactical resistance, individual protagonism versus collective effort, and pressure versus resilience.
Real Madrid started well and deserved to take the lead, but their momentary inability to extend their advantage allowed Alavés to grow into the game and equalize, exposing some defensive vulnerabilities in the Spanish side. Still, their ability to respond immediately with a decisive goal from Rodrygo showed that the team has the competitive spirit and maturity to react under pressure.
Mbappé was the key figure in the first half, opening the scoring in his first match after returning from injury, demonstrating that he is an irreplaceable player for Real Madrid’s ambitions. Bellingham’s contribution in midfield and Courtois’ saves were also fundamental in neutralizing Alavés’ reaction.
This victory brings confidence to Real Madrid in their La Liga campaign, keeping them “in the fight” against a Barcelona side that leads comfortably. The Spanish title race is still wide open, and matches like Alavés vs. Real Madrid show that winning the championship requires more than just technique: it demands mentality, perseverance, and the ability to make crucial decisions.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions about Alavés vs Real Madrid
1. What was the result of Alavés vs Real Madrid?
Real Madrid won 2-1 with goals from Mbappé and Rodrygo.
2. Who scored the goals?
Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring and Rodrygo scored the winning goal.
3. Where was the game played?
At the Mendizorroza Stadium, home of Alavés.
4. How was Mbappé’s performance?
Mbappé scored in his first match after injury and was the star of the first half.
5. Is Real Madrid still in the title race?
Yes, with this result, Los Blancos maintain the pressure on league leaders Barcelona.
6. Did Alavés have clear chances?
Yes, they equalized and pressed until conceding the winning goal.
7. Who assisted Mbappé’s goal?
Jude Bellingham was instrumental in setting up the play.
8. Was Courtois important?
Yes, he made crucial saves to maintain the lead.
9. Does this result relieve the pressure on Alonso?
Yes, it prevented further setbacks and brought confidence.
10. Was the game decided at the end?
Yes, Rodrygo scored at crucial moments to secure the victory.
