Liga: Real Madrid snatches victory from Alavés and returns to leader ahead of Girona

Real Madrid had learned the good news at the start of the evening: Girona only took one point away from Real Betis for the 18th day of La Liga. If the Catalans still remained leaders in the standings despite the draw, they could see Casa Blanca move ahead of them with their trip to the Basque Country, where they faced Deportivo Alavés, 15th, three points from the red zone. A meeting which, on paper, seemed more than affordable for Carlo Ancelotti’s flock, who did not fail to show their solidarity towards their Austrian teammate David Alaba, victim of a cruciate ligament rupture last weekend and therefore probably absent from the field until the end of the season.

And from the start of the match in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the Merengues put pressure on the blue-and-white rearguard through Federico Valverde, well offset by Brahim Diaz, but the Uruguayan international saw a firm footing by Antonio Sivera put him in check in the second minute of play. The men in white managed to keep their foot on the ball but without making the opposing defense flinch, sometimes clumsy in its interventions by causing several fouls. In the opposing camp, Luis García Plaza’s team created some space in the corridors, but did not really have the accuracy in the penultimate move to worry the hinge in front of Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Lucas and Nacho, opposite destinies

A somewhat lively first act but without any real occasion to sink your teeth into. Coming back from the locker room, the pace was a little higher, but it was in the duels that we felt more intensity. Too much even from Nacho, who came to shred the back of Samu’s ankle, on the ground for several minutes. Called by the VAR, the referee canceled his yellow to expel the Madrid captain (54th), leaving his team at 10 against 11. However, the numerical inferiority did not discourage the friends of Brahim and Rodrygo, who managed to initiate attacks in the last Vitoriano third. More than restless, the Brazilian did not hesitate to try his luck against goal with a shot over the top (75th) and a second captured by Sivera (84th).

Finally, Lucas Vazquez stood out in added time with a header from a corner to snatch an unexpected victory in Basque territory (1-0, 90+2nd). With this small success, Real Madrid therefore managed to take advantage of Girona’s parity score to regain its throne as leader ahead of Michel Sanchez’s team. Alavés, for its part, suffered a third setback in a row and saw Mallorca pass in front at the same time. Because yes, the RCD won in style at home against Osasuna (3-1), in particular thanks to an excellent Dani Rodriguez, scorer (53rd) and double decisive passer (12th, 62nd), to allow the Balearic team to grab two places and move away from the bottom of the table.