Real Madrid battled adversity to secure a narrow 1-0 victory over Deportivo Alavés on Sunday, despite playing with 10 men for over half the match after Kylian Mbappé's controversial red card. The win keeps Los Blancos four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona in the title race.
Eduardo Camavinga's exquisite 34th-minute strike – his first league goal since March 2022 – proved decisive, though drama unfolded throughout the match. A Raúl Asencio header was earlier disallowed through VAR review, while Mbappé received a straight red card in the 38th minute for a reckless tackle on Antonio Blanco.
A rollercoaster second half saw both teams reduced to 10 players when Alavés defender Manu Sánchez received his marching orders for fouling Vinícius Jr. Goalkeeper Jesús Owono denied Real late chances to double their lead, but ultimately couldn't prevent his relegation-threatened side from slipping to defeat.
The result highlights Real Madrid's resilience amid challenges both on and off the pitch. Assistant coach Davide Ancelotti stepped in for his suspended father Carlo, managing a squad still reeling from Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League defeat to Arsenal. With Spain's national coach Luis de la Fuente observing, the performance offered mixed signals for Los Blancos' hopes in both domestic and European competitions.
