Kylian Mbappé marked his return from injury with a goal on Sunday as Real Madrid secured a 2-1 away victory over Alavés in La Liga, easing pressure on coach Xabi Alonso after a difficult run of results, reports AP.
Rodrygo also scored for Madrid, who closed the gap to league leaders Barcelona to four points following Barça’s 2-0 win over Osasuna a day earlier.
The victory came at a crucial time for Madrid, who had managed just two wins in their previous eight matches across all competitions. Midweek, they were beaten 2-1 at home by Manchester City in the Champions League, a result that drew boos from supporters at the Santiago Bernabéu.
“We’re in this together, through good times and bad,” Alonso said. “The team showed character today. We started well and earned three important points. Staying united is essential if we want to grow and improve.”
Mbappé, sidelined against City with a minor injury, opened the scoring in the 24th minute with his 26th goal of the season, cutting in from the left before curling a superb shot into the top corner.
Alavés equalised on the counterattack in the 68th minute through Carlos Vicente, but Madrid responded almost immediately. Rodrygo restored the lead moments later, finishing from close range after a driving run and assist by Vinícius Júnior. It was Rodrygo’s second goal of the campaign, following his recent strike against City that ended a lengthy scoring drought.
Vinícius celebrated the decisive goal by embracing Alonso on the touchline, a rare public show of unity amid reports of dressing-room unrest.
Alavés remained 12th in the standings after the defeat, having entered the match on the back of a win over Real Sociedad.
The match also featured milestones for Madrid. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois recorded his 200th win in 310 appearances for the club, while defender Antonio Rüdiger made his 100th La Liga appearance. Alonso also handed a starting role at left back to 19-year-old Víctor Valdepeñas from the club’s B team due to injury absences.
Elsewhere in La Liga, second-from-bottom Oviedo dismissed coach Luis Carrión after a 4-0 defeat at Sevilla extended their winless run to 10 matches. Sevilla moved up to ninth with 20 points.
Celta Vigo claimed their first home league win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao to climb to eighth place, while Athletic’s Nico Williams missed a late penalty.
The match between Levante and Villarreal was postponed because of heavy rain and safety concerns in the Valencia region. Villarreal remain third after six consecutive league wins, while Levante stay bottom of the table.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
