Real Madrid wins again after 5 matches, continues to pressure Barcelona

(Football result) - Real Madrid narrowed the gap with Barcelona to 6 points on the La Liga standings after a 2-1 victory over Deportivo Alaves at the Bernabeu. Meanwhile, this defeat puts Alaves at risk of falling into the relegation zone after this round.

Experiencing disappointing form and facing the risk of a second consecutive season without trophies, Real Madrid nearly received a cold shock early in the match. A mistake due to hesitation from Alvaro Carreras created an opportunity for Angel Perez to sprint forward, but instead of shooting, this player passed sideways to Lucas Boye and missed a golden chance.

After escaping danger, Real Madrid controlled the game but did not create many clear opportunities. Nevertheless, the home team still found the opening goal in the 30th minute in a rather fortunate way. Kylian Mbappe turned and unleashed a long-range shot, the ball hit Jonny Otto and changed direction, leaving goalkeeper Antonio Sivera helpless as the ball went into the net.

Minutes later, Jude Bellingham crossed the ball for Eder Militao to jump high and finish, sending the ball hitting the crossbar. On the other side, Alaves also responded when Toni Martinez had a skillful touch but the ball found the woodwork just before halftime.

Entering the second half, Real Madrid showed a much more positive face. Shortly after the ball rolled again, the Royal team doubled the lead. Federico Valverde accelerated and passed to Vinicius Junior, before the Brazilian star unleashed a classy long-range shot into the near corner, completely surprising Sivera.

With rising excitement, Real Madrid continued to apply pressure and nearly scored a third when Brahim Diaz's cut-back shot required Nahuel Tenaglia to clear right on the goal line.

Towards the end of the match, Alaves surged strongly. Toni Martinez repeatedly forced Andriy Lunin to showcase his saving skills, including a header that sent the ball hitting the post. This striker was finally rewarded when he used his heel to redirect Ander Guevara's shot into the Real Madrid net during added time. However, the goal only helped Alaves reduce the deficit and caused Real to lose their first clean sheet after 9 rounds in La Liga.

This victory is the first time Real Madrid has celebrated triumph in April, simultaneously ending a previous 4-match winless streak. However, the championship chances for Carlo Ancelotti's team are still not easy as Barcelona is likely not to stumble in the last 7 rounds, even though the second El Clasico is still ahead.

For Alaves, the situation is increasingly worrying as they have only won 1 of their last 10 matches in La Liga, while their relegation rivals are continuously gaining points.

Real Madrid vs Alaves team information

• Real Madrid:Absent Raúl Asencio, Thibaut Courtois, Rodrygo.
• Alaves:Absent Facundo Garcés, Carlos Protesoni, Abderrahman Rebbach.

Expected lineup Real Madrid vs Alaves

• Real Madrid (4-4-2):Andriy Lunin - Daniel Carvajal, Éder Militao, David Alaba, Fran García - Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Brahim Díaz - Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior.
• Alaves (5-3-2):Antonio Sivera - Jonny Otto, Nahuel Tenaglia, Victor Parada, Ángel Pérez, Carles Aleñá - Pablo Ibánez, Antonio Blanco, Jon Guridi - Toni Martínez, Ibrahim Diabate.

Form & Head-to-head history Real Madrid vs Alaves

• Real Madrid form:In the last 5 matches, Real Madrid won 1, drew 1, and lost 3.
• Alaves form:In the last 5 matches, Alaves won 1, drew 3, and lost 1.
• Head-to-head history:In the last 5 head-to-head matches, Real Madrid won 5, drew 0, and lost 1.