The title race has a new pulse! On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, Real Madrid secured a vital 2-1 victory over a resilient Deportivo Alavés at the Santiago Bernabéu.
While the three points help close the gap on league leaders Barcelona to just six points, the win came at a cost as the Madrid defense suffered another major injury blow.
Despite being whistled off the pitch by some sections of the crowd after a late Alavés surge, Los Blancos did enough to ensure the pressure remains firmly on the defending champions.
1. Match Highlights: Long-Range Magic
Madrid dominated the early proceedings, but it was their clinical nature from distance that ultimately broke Alavés' disciplined defensive block.
The Opener (29’): Kylian Mbappé broke the deadlock with a thunderous effort from the edge of the area. His powerful strike took a slight deflection off Alavés defender Jonny, leaving goalkeeper Antonio Sivera with no chance as it flew into the top corner.
The Double (50’): Early in the second half, Vinícius Júnior doubled the lead in spectacular fashion. Picking up a pass from Fede Valverde, the Brazilian cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable right-footed curler into the bottom left corner—marking his 12th league goal of the campaign.
The Late Scare (92’): Alavés refused to quit. In the second minute of stoppage time, Toni Martínez finally got his reward for a tireless performance, flicking home an Ander Guevara strike to set up a nervous final 60 seconds.
2. The Bitter Aftermath: Militão Injury Blow
The biggest headline for Madridistas isn't the scoreline, but the health of the backline.
The Incident: Just two minutes after hitting the crossbar with a header, Éder Militão pulled up with a visible muscle injury in the 44th minute.
The Fallout: He was immediately replaced by Antonio Rüdiger. With crucial Champions League semi-finals and the domestic run-in looming, the loss of Militão could be catastrophic for Ancelotti’s tactical setup.
The Bernabéu Reaction: Surprisingly, the home fans whistled the team at the final whistle, expressing frustration at the late goal conceded and the lack of a third goal to kill the game earlier.
3. Key Performers
Vinícius Júnior: Despite earlier boos from a small section of the fans, his goal was a moment of world-class quality that effectively won the match.
Andriy Lunin: Kept Madrid in it during Alavés' best spells, making three massive saves from Toni Martínez throughout the night.
Toni Martínez: The Alavés striker was a constant nuisance, hitting the post twice before finally scoring his consolation goal.