Real Madrid escape Alaves with 1-0 win despite Mbappe's horror 'Red Card'

Real Madrid left the Estadio de Mendizorrotza with all three points on Saturday night, but not without scars. In a disjointed, ill-tempered affair, Carlo Ancelotti’s side ground out a 1-0 win over Alaves thanks to a brilliant strike from Eduardo Camavinga—despite playing with 10 men for over 50 minutes after Kylian Mbappe’s shocking dismissal.

Real Madrid survive Alaves scare as Mbappe sees red.

Getty Images Sport 

The French forward was shown a straight red card late in the first half for a reckless two-footed stamp on Antonio Blanco, leaving Real Madrid on the back foot in a game they never quite controlled. But Alaves failed to capitalize on their man advantage, and Los Blancos held firm, keeping pace in the La Liga title race—still four points behind leaders Barcelona.

Madrid’s first-half performance was nervy and uneven. They never asserted themselves in midfield, and the hosts showed early attacking ambition. Raul Asencio thought he'd headed home the opener from a corner, only for the referee to penalize him for a push.

Camavinga soon settled nerves with a moment of quality. Drifting into space on the edge of the area, the midfielder glided past a challenge and whipped a shot into the far corner—a rare bit of brilliance on an otherwise chaotic night.

Just as Madrid looked ready to cruise, disaster struck. Mbappe, already ineffective in the final third, lunged in with a brutal challenge on Blanco that left little room for leniency. The red card was inevitable and turned the match into a test of resolve.

Alaves, however, failed to make their advantage count. Carlos Vicente threatened sporadically, but Madrid’s back line, marshaled by Antonio Rudiger, held firm.

Momentum briefly swung back in Madrid’s favour when Vinicius Jr—lively off the bench—was clipped while racing toward goal by Manuel Sanchez, who received a red card of his own. With both teams down to 10, Madrid regained their shape and could have killed the game off.

Jude Bellingham, Brahim Diaz, and Vinicius all had late chances, but the second goal never arrived. Still, the job was done: a narrow, nervy, yet vital win.

Player Ratings:

Goalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (7/10): Rarely called into action but dealt calmly with what came his way. A steady hand behind the back four.

Lucas Vázquez (6/10): Committed effort, but remains a liability defensively. Often targeted by Alaves down the flank.

Antonio Rudiger (8/10): Commanding throughout. Led the defensive line with grit and clarity, especially once Madrid went down to 10.

Raul Asencio (7/10): Made crucial clearances, particularly in the first half. Strong in aerial duels and positionally sound.

Fran Garcia (6/10): Battled well against Vicente, limiting his impact. Offered limited support going forward but was defensively solid.

Midfield

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10): Quiet but effective. Circulated the ball well and broke up play when necessary.

Eduardo Camavinga (8/10): Scored the match-winner with a sublime strike and was everywhere in midfield. Embraced the chaos and led with energy.

Federico Valverde (6/10): Put in a shift but looked physically spent late on. Played the full 90 despite not being fully fit.

Attack

Rodrygo (5/10): Peripheral for most of the game. Managed just five touches inside the Alaves box.

Kylian Mbappé (2/10): A nightmare outing. Offered no threat, then got himself sent off for a needless, dangerous challenge.

Arda Güler (5/10): Showed glimpses of potential, but struggled to influence a match disrupted by Mbappé’s red card.

Substitutes & Manager

Vinícius Jr (7/10): Changed the tempo after coming on. Earned a red card from Sanchez and created multiple chances.

Jude Bellingham (7/10): Worked hard to restore balance in midfield. Came close to scoring late but was denied by a sharp save.

Brahim Díaz (N/A): A puzzling substitution. Didn’t help Madrid retain possession in the final stages.

Dani Ceballos (N/A): Entered too late to influence proceedings.

Carlo Ancelotti (6/10): Suspended for the match, but still guided the team tactically. Will be furious with Mbappé’s recklessness, but will value the resilience shown.

Verdict

Real Madrid didn't win with style, but they won with substance. In a hostile atmosphere and under numerical disadvantage, Camavinga’s class and Rudiger’s leadership earned them a crucial result. As Madrid continue chasing Barcelona, this ugly win may yet prove golden.