It was a night in Mendizorroza that left Real Madrid with mixed feelings, a clash full of nerves and late twists. The whites did not hide their frustration after arriving in Vitoria to face Alavés at 21:30, hoping to finish 2023 on a high and perhaps secure an extra day off. The mood on the bench suggested both a readiness to seize the moment and a lingering fatigue from a tightly packed schedule, making the outcome feel almost preordained before the whistle. The question hovered: would Madrid respond with urgency or drift into the lethargy that can creep in after a long calendar year?
From the start, coach Carlo Ancelotti weighed his options in goal. Kepa Arrizabalaga started on paper, but Andriy Lunin seized the opportunity and delivered important appearances, while the Italian kept dynamic competition with Arrizabalaga on the horizon for January. He might not reveal his best choice immediately, throwing everything into the balance. Against a fast, hard-working Alavés that settled into Madrid’s half with compact defending and quick transitions, Madrid aimed to control the tempo and create chances through their standard patience and precision.
In defense, Lucas, Nacho, Rudiger, and Fran García formed the back line after a string of injuries and misfortunes. Valverde acted as the lieutenant to Kroos and Modrić, with Jude Bellingham weaving through the lines and Brahim and Rodrygo probing the flanks outside the opponent’s radar. Up front, Antonio Blanco set the benchmarks, Guridi did the grueling work, and Rioja and Samu Vitorian embodied the dagger and hammer roles Alavés expected. Early on, the first incursions by Alavés were assertive, sometimes intense but not entirely dangerous. Madrid maintained composure, aware that Girona had drawn with Betis and had won to seize the initiative in the table. Sivera did not need to be tested until the 37th minute, after a fierce strike from Valverde, and Kepa had already made several decisive interventions. Brahim, who spent much of the first half warming himself with Duarte contesting every ball, was the most active Madrid player, while Samu was the most ambitious threat from Alavés.
Red Nacho in VAR
The second half opened with Madrid looking more comfortable, yet mistakes still lurked. In the 53rd minute, Nacho challenged Samu with a dangerous tackle that caught the Alavés forward by the ankle. The foul drew a yellow card from Díaz de Mera, but VAR reviewed the incident and confirmed a red card, removing Nacho from the action. Ancelotti adapted by deploying Tchouaméni as a central defender, shifting the defense and reshaping the team’s lines as the match swung uphill for Madrid.
From the dugout, the Spanish coach watched a rival suddenly hold the upper hand. Rodrygo remained up front with minimal support, while Brahim dropped deeper into the midfield to help, and Madrid searched for a way back into the contest. Alavés appeared content to protect their lead and wait for Madrid’s misstep, a patient approach that could pay off if the visitors pressed too high. Luis García faced a dilemma: press to seize victory or maintain a compact defensive posture to secure a point while hoping Madrid’s pace shortened as the clock ran down.
Madrid steadied, rebounded, and sought control. The ball circulated with greater energy, Brahim continuing to spark, and Sivera feeling the weight of Madrid’s pressure, though Alavés tightened their lines when needed. Rodrygo found a way through on a run that culminated in a shot that brushed Sivera’s near post. The hosts added legs and renewed urgency, yet the tactical shape remained intact, with no dramatic overhaul to alter the flow of the game. Time slipped away, and Madrid clung to the instinct that a single moment could alter the trajectory of the night.
Goal from Lucas Vázquez in the 92nd minute! A late strike that changed the mood of the stand and the calculations on the field, delivering a dramatic end to the contest. Fede Valverde’s exuberant celebration captured the moment, underscoring the importance of the point in a tightly contested league race. The moment was shared across Spain as a reminder that the season’s final chapters still held drama, even in December. On social media, the moment was echoed with reaction and highlight reels, including a post by DAZN Spain celebrating the equalizer.
Bellingham remained a focal point for Madrid’s attack, though fatigue showed in the closing stages. The Englishman, essential to the visitors’ balance, could not sustain his best form through the full 90 minutes and picked up a late yellow for a hard challenge on Tenaglia. As the clock wound down, Rodrygo offered occasional threat, but the final quality required to clinch three points eluded the visitors. A cross into stoppage time swung danger toward Madrid’s goal, yet Lucas Vázquez surged forward to convert a rare breakthrough opportunity, giving Girona a chance to climb back to the top of the standings as the year closed.
The night proved that in a season jam-packed with travel, training, and recovery, moments of brilliance and stubborn resilience can still decide outcomes. Madrid’s late drama reflected a squad that refuses to concede, even when talent and circumstance tilt the field. The result served as a sharp reminder that in football, as in life, perseverance often writes the final word. (Cited from DAZN Spain)