Mbappe Scores Again as Real Madrid Edge Past Alaves

Kylian Mbappe netted his fourth consecutive goal as Real Madrid overcame Alaves 3-2 in La Liga on Tuesday, ensuring a crucial victory. The win allowed Madrid to close the gap on league leaders Barcelona to just one point before their match against Getafe on Wednesday.

Real Madrid dominated the match with goals from Lucas Vazquez, Mbappe, and Rodrygo. However, a late resurgence from Alaves brought the game into question, as Carlos Protesoni and Kike Garcia scored two quick goals in the final moments.

"This is football, you can think the game has finished, (then there's) a small slip and they score the first, they get confidence and you lose it, this is what happens," Carlo Ancelotti stated post-match. "Obviously we don't want this to happen, but it can. We have to highlight that for an hour the team played well and that gives us confidence."

Los Blancos started strongly against Alaves, controlling the match despite the visitors' solid season thus far. Ancelotti made notable changes, including starting Vinicius Junior and giving Vazquez a rare start, which paid off immediately as they combined for the opening goal within the first minute. The Brazilian winger cut the ball back for a simple finish from Vazquez.

Ancelotti emphasized the need for increased intensity at the beginning of matches, as Madrid had scored only one first-half goal in La Liga or the Champions League this season, and his players responded accordingly. Madrid's dominance continued, but their second goal came only five minutes before halftime. Mbappe played a clever flicked pass to Jude Bellingham, who returned the ball to him. Mbappe took two deft touches to evade his marker before clinically finishing for his fifth league goal of the season.

Rodrygo extended the lead shortly after the break, maneuvering into the box from the right and firing a shot through Alaves goalkeeper Antonio Sivera's legs. Alaves managed to threaten the Madrid goal sporadically, with teenage striker Endrick hitting the post and Abde Rebbach also striking the woodwork during a rare forward surge.

Endrick, 18, faced scrutiny after a questionable moment when he kicked out at Alaves defender Santiago Mourino but avoided a red card. Mbappe was substituted in the 80th minute, appearing to experience some discomfort as he held the back of his thigh. Ancelotti later reassured reporters, saying, "He's fine, he's fine, a little overloaded, he asked me for the change to avoid problems."

Alaves found the back of the net in the 85th minute when Protesoni curled in a strike from the edge of the box. Protesoni then set up Kike Garcia with a well-placed ball over the top, allowing Garcia to score, tightening the contest.

Despite the late goals, Madrid held on for the victory, marking their 39th consecutive league game unbeaten in Ancelotti's 300th match as manager across two terms at the club. They prepare for a crucial derby clash against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium, where they last suffered a defeat in the top flight exactly a year ago.

"I'm happy for the win," Vazquez commented to Real Madrid TV. "I think we had a great game until the 80th minute, when two mistakes cost us two goals against us, and we had to suffer more than we should have. With the game that we played, we didn't deserve that ending."

Tempers flared at the end of the match as Ancelotti confronted the referee, dissatisfied with the number of bookings received by his players while some of Alaves' aggressive tackles went unpunished. "Fair or unfair, we have to adapt to the new rules," a composed Ancelotti remarked afterward, acknowledging his players' cautions for protesting decisions.

Alaves coach Luis Garcia Plaza expressed frustration post-match, particularly regarding the incident involving Endrick. "The Endrick incident should have been a red card; we should have played the last 10 minutes with an extra player," he said. "It's red, there's nothing more to it; I won't speak more about this topic."

Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid will visit Celta Vigo on Thursday, among other fixtures.