A pressure-laden victory for Real Madrid on Sunday has potentially secured manager Xabi Alonso’s position for the immediate future. In a hard-fought La Liga encounter at Mendizorroza stadium, Madrid edged past a resilient Deportivo Alaves with a 2-1 scoreline, courtesy of goals from Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo Goes.
The win, only the club’s third across all competitions in their last nine outings, carries significant weight. It narrows the gap to arch-rivals and league leaders Barcelona back to a four-point margin, ensuring the title race remains intensely competitive heading into the winter break. This result arrived on the heels of a damaging midweek Champions League home defeat to Manchester City, which had sparked widespread media speculation that Alonso’s tenure was contingent on a positive result against Alaves.
Mbappé, returning to the starting lineup after being sidelined with a knee injury against City, initially appeared hampered but grew into the game. He broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a spectacular strike into the top corner, set up by a precise pass from Jude Bellingham. Alaves, however, refused to capitulate. They seized control of the game’s tempo and found a deserved equalizer in the 68th minute through Carlos Vicente, who expertly finished after beating Antonio Rüdiger.
With the specter of another disappointing result looming, Brazilian forward Rodrygo emerged as the late hero, tapping in a cross from Vinícius Júnior to secure the crucial three points. The goal, his second in consecutive matches, ended a prolonged personal scoring drought and triggered wild celebrations from a visibly relieved Alonso on the touchline.
Post-match, Alonso acknowledged the challenge, stating, ‘It was a hard-fought game… Alaves play with a lot of intensity.’ He reiterated that he retains the full support of his squad amidst the external pressure, emphasizing the collective need to build on this result. The coach also expressed bewilderment that a potential penalty claim for Vinícius Júnior was not reviewed by the VAR officiating team.
In other La Liga developments, Villarreal’s fixture was postponed due to adverse weather, and Real Oviedo dismissed their manager following a heavy defeat. Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over Osasuna ensures they will remain at the summit of the league entering the new year.