Real Madrid closed 2023 as a leader after the Mendizorroza victory

Initially, Ancelotti preferred Kepa in goal. Lunin won the position and the Italian rewarded him with important starts, but he also makes Arrizabalaga dynamic. AND It will be in January when the Italian puts his usual diplomacy aside and points to one and neutralizes the other in goal.. Or maybe not. He put everything he had into the lead against the hard-working and very fast Alavés, who settled into the Madrid area with three passes.

Lucas, Nacho, Rudiger and Fran García formed the only possible defense after numerous losses. Valverde continued as lieutenant to Kroos and Modric, with Bellingham floating between the lines and Brahim and Rodrygo engaging in lanes outside the opponent’s radar. Up front, Antonio Blanco set the benchmarks, Guridi did the work and Rioja and Samu Vitorian fulfilled the roles of dagger and hammer. The first thieves were thrown Alaves, sometimes warm but uncomfortable. Madrid took this calmly, even though they knew Girona had drawn with Villamarín and had won to take the lead. There was no need for Sivera to work until the 37th minute, after a very hard shot from Valverde. By then Kepa had already intervened several times. While Brahim, who was saved from the cold by Duarte with a tough game during the halftime, was the most active name among the whites, Samu was the biggest threat of ‘babazorra’.

Red Nacho in VAR

The second half started with a comfortable Madrid, but even worse, they did not step onto the field at the wrong time. Like The same thing happened to Nacho, who attacked Samu with an iron and stepped on his ankle in the 53rd minute. This was one of the unfair tackles and then Díaz de Mera gave him a yellow card. But, VAR caught the referee’s attention, who confirmed that the inappropriate tackle on Alavesista was a sending off. Ancelotti solved the red card problem that left the whites behind by appointing Tchouameni as a centre-back instead of Modric. The game was going uphill.

Carletto raised an eyebrow on the bench against a busy rivalry who now saw themselves in the upper hand against Madrid, who left Rodrygo alone up front and delayed Brahim to help in midfield. The match was in Alavés’ favor as the natives did not feel threatened, but they had to take a step forward to achieve their superiority and moderate dominance. Luis García’s dilemma was whether to expose himself to gain victory or continue to protect himself to save the point and wait for Madrid’s mistake to win the Gordo de Navidad.

Well recomposed Madrid team and Alavés’ lead was strangled. The ball was livelier at the Madridistas’ feet, Brahim showing the spark he continues to show, while the Vitorians had lost the drive that had taken them into the area where Kepa was much less threatened than in the first half. Rodrygo managed to get past the Whites with a drive that ended with his right foot licking Sivera’s corner. Luis García put in more legs and lungs but without changing the tactical arrangement with man-to-man substitution. Madrid had more alternatives, but the minutes were steadily dropping and Madrid was running out of time.

Bellingham appeared discouraged at Alavés. And without English, Madrid would lose almost all of its attacking power. The Englishman could not finish the entire match even once And Ancelotti’s men noticed this. And in the 83rd minute, he was booked for another hard tackle and ran over Tenaglia with no option to play. Having a hard time at the end of the year, Jude needs the Christmas break more than anyone else. Only Rodrygo created some danger, but not enough to win the match. A cross into the area during stoppage time, where Bellingham and Joselu dragged four defenders, allowed Lucas Vázquez to enter alone and score the goal that would allow Girona to take advantage of the draw against Betis and close out 2023 as leaders in the League.