Real Madrid achieved a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory away against Alaves in a La Liga match characterized by tension and key incidents. The only goal of the game was scored by Camavinga in the 34th minute of the first half. Shortly after, the game took a dramatic turn when Mbappé was sent off following a VAR review. The referee deemed his challenge on Antonio Blanco of Alavés, where Mbappé`s studs made contact with Blanco`s tibia, to be a serious foul. This red card marked Mbappé`s first expulsion since the French Cup final in 2019 while playing for PSG against Rennes.
Real Madrid`s coach Ancelotti initially rested key players Vinicius and Bellingham, keeping in mind the upcoming Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal on Wednesday. However, both players were later brought on as substitutes in the second half to secure the victory.
Late in the match, Alaves also had a player, Sanchez, sent off with a direct red card, leveling the playing field numerically. A goal by Real Madrid`s Raul Asencio was also disallowed during the game. Despite the challenges, Real Madrid secured three valuable points, remaining 4 points behind Barcelona in the league standings.