Title: Survival vs. Supremacy at the Bernabéu: Can Alavés Stun a Reeling Giant?
With only seven matches remaining in the La Liga season, the narrative at the Santiago Bernabéu is split between a desperate chase for the title and a frantic fight for top-flight survival. Real Madrid enters this Tuesday fixture trailing leaders Barcelona by a daunting nine points, a gap that feels increasingly insurmountable following a winless streak of five matches across all competitions. The emotional weight on Alvaro Arbeloa’s men is heavy; their season was upended just last week by a gut-wrenching Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, a result that ended their primary hope for major silverware. Now, they must pivot back to domestic duties to prevent their campaign from fizzling out entirely, facing an Alavés side that sits precariously just one point above the relegation zone.
Deportivo Alavés arrives in the capital under the recent guidance of Quique Sánchez Flores, who has injected a high-octane, if defensively porous, style into the “Babazorros”. Since his appointment, Alavés has seen both teams score in five consecutive matches, averaging nearly five goals per game, a stark contrast to their previous pragmatic approach. The press is calling this a “trapped-animal” matchup; Alavés is the league’s most frequent fouler and will likely use every physical tool to disrupt Madrid’s rhythm. While history favors the hosts—who have won their last eight league meetings against Alavés—the absence of defensive stability and the lingering “Champions League hangover” could offer the visitors their best chance in a decade to claim points at the Bernabéu.
❗ SQUAD AVAILABILITY & MEDICAL UPDATES
| REAL MADRID | ||
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term / IR | Rodrygo | Knee Cruciate Ligament Injury |
| Out / Ruled Out | Thibaut Courtois | Right Quadriceps Muscle Tear |
| Out / Ruled Out | Raúl Asencio | Severe Gastroenteritis |
| Questionable | Antonio Rüdiger | Physical Discomfort |
| Questionable | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Physical Discomfort |
| DEPORTIVO ALAVÉS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Long-Term / IR | Ville Koski | Meniscus Injury Recovery |
| Out / Ruled Out | Facundo Garcés | Disciplinary Suspension |
| Out / Ruled Out | Abde Rebbach | Disciplinary Suspension |
| Questionable | Carlos Protesoni | Leg Injury |
🔵 NAMED STARTING SIDES
| REAL MADRID (4-3-1-2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Andriy Lunin | |
| Defenders | Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Ferland Mendy | |
| Midfielders | Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham | |
| Forwards | Brahim Díaz, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior | |
| DEPORTIVO ALAVÉS (4-2-3-1) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Antonio Sivera | |
| Defenders | Nahuel Tenaglia, Abdel Abqar, Aleksandar Sedlar, Manu Sánchez | |
| Midfielders | Ander Guevara, Antonio Blanco, Jon Guridi | |
| Forwards | Carlos Vicente, Lucas Boyé, Carlos Martín | |
Tactical Overview:
- Golden Boot Race: Kylian Mbappé leads the league with 23 goals and remains Madrid’s primary threat despite the team’s dip in form.
- Goalkeeping Crisis: With Courtois out until late season due to a muscle tear, Andriy Lunin is the confirmed starter in goal for the sixth consecutive match.
- Defensive Gamble: Due to injury issues with Rüdiger and Asencio, Aurélien Tchouaméni is expected to drop into the center-back role alongside Éder Militão.
Full Match
Highlights
