Kylian Mbappé red card overshadows Real Madrid win over Alavés
Alavés vs Real Madrid
In the vibrant atmosphere of a La Liga clash, with Spain's national team coach Luis de la Fuente keenly observing from the stands, the spotlight fell on Real Madrid’s young defender Asencio, who believed he had thrust his team into the lead after just 19 minutes of play. The moment was electric: a meticulously delivered corner hung in the air, and Asencio, timing his leap with precision, rose above the Alavés defense to nod the ball firmly into the net. The Santiago Bernabéu erupted, the roar of the crowd a testament to the anticipation that had been building in the opening exchanges. Asencio, a product of Madrid’s famed youth academy, wheeled away in celebration, his teammates converging to share in the moment that seemed to signal Madrid’s early dominance. Yet, the jubilation was short-lived, as the referee’s earpiece crackled with input from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team. The play was scrutinized, frame by frame, and the verdict was damning: Asencio had, in his ascent, used an Alavés defender as leverage, his hands resting just a fraction too long on his opponent’s shoulders. Compounding the issue, in the chaotic jostle within the penalty area, Antonio Rüdiger, Madrid’s towering center-back, had collided with Alavés goalkeeper Jesús Owono, sending him crashing to the ground moments before the ball crossed the line. The referee, after reviewing the footage on the pitchside monitor, raised his arms to disallow the goal, leaving Asencio’s effort nullified and the scoreline stubbornly at 0-0. The decision sparked murmurs of frustration among the Madrid faithful, who felt the call was overly punitive, yet it underscored the unrelenting precision of modern officiating, where no infraction, however slight, escapes notice. For Asencio, the moment was a bitter lesson in the fine margins that define elite football, his potential breakthrough overshadowed by the cold reality of VAR’s intervention.
The match, however, was far from stagnant, and Real Madrid, undeterred by the setback, continued to probe Alavés’s resolute defense with their characteristic flair. Fifteen minutes after the disallowed goal, the breakthrough arrived, this time through the dynamic Eduardo Camavinga, whose burgeoning reputation as one of Europe’s premier midfielders was further burnished. The sequence began with a moment of telepathic understanding between Camavinga and his teammate Federico Valverde, a partnership that has become a cornerstone of Madrid’s midfield engine. Valverde, with his vision and poise, exchanged a crisp one-two with Camavinga, carving open Alavés’s defensive structure like a surgeon’s scalpel. Camavinga, receiving the return pass just inside the penalty area, took a touch to steady himself before dispatching a low, driven shot that nestled inside the left post, beyond the despairing dive of Owono. The goal was a masterclass in simplicity and execution, a reminder of Camavinga’s ability to influence games in multiple facets. As the Bernabéu erupted once more, Camavinga’s understated celebration—a nod to the crowd, a fist raised in quiet triumph—belied the significance of the moment. It was his first league goal since March 2022, a drought that had lingered longer than his talent warranted, and the strike seemed to carry with it a release of pent-up ambition. For Madrid, the goal restored a sense of control, a foothold in a match that had threatened to slip into unpredictability after the earlier VAR controversy. Yet, beneath the surface, the game remained a tightrope, with Alavés refusing to buckle under the weight of Madrid’s pedigree.
The narrative took a dramatic turn in the 38th minute, when Real Madrid’s talismanic forward, Kylian Mbappé, found himself at the center of a storm. The incident unfolded in a flash: Mbappé, chasing a loose ball with his trademark burst of speed, clashed with Alavés’s tenacious midfielder Blanco in a moment of high intensity. The contact was heavy, Blanco crumpling to the turf, and the referee initially reached for a yellow card, deeming the challenge reckless but not malicious. However, the VAR team intervened once again, urging a second look. As the referee jogged to the monitor, the stadium held its breath, aware that Mbappé’s fate hung in the balance. The replays were unforgiving: Mbappé’s studs had caught Blanco high on the shin, a challenge that, while not intentional, carried enough force to warrant harsher punishment. The referee, his expression stern, returned to the field and brandished a straight red card, sending Mbappé trudging off the pitch, his head bowed in disbelief. The decision was a seismic blow to Madrid’s ambitions, stripping them of their most potent attacking weapon and forcing a tactical recalibration with over half the match remaining. For Mbappé, the red card was a rare blemish on an otherwise glittering campaign, a reminder of the discipline required to navigate the pressures of La Liga’s spotlight. The Bernabéu crowd, torn between frustration and defiance, rallied behind their depleted side, their chants a call to arms as Madrid faced the prospect of defending their slender lead with ten men.
The second half began with Alavés, emboldened by their numerical advantage, seizing the initiative. The hosts, backed by a fervent home crowd, swung the pendulum of possession in their favor, their passing sharper, their intent clearer. Leading the charge was forward Carlos Martín, whose hunger to exploit Madrid’s vulnerability was palpable. In a spell of sustained pressure, Martín unleashed a venomous low strike from just outside the penalty area, a shot that arrowed toward the bottom corner and forced a sprawling save from Thibaut Courtois, Madrid’s indomitable goalkeeper. Courtois, his reflexes honed to near-perfection, palmed the ball away, a stop that preserved Madrid’s lead and underscored his status as one of the game’s elite shot-stoppers. The save was a turning point, a moment that quelled Alavés’s momentum and reminded them of the mountain they still had to climb. Martín’s effort, though thwarted, was a statement of intent, a signal that Alavés would not fade quietly into the night. For Madrid, the passage of play was a wake-up call, a reminder that their one-goal cushion was fragile, particularly with a man disadvantage. The tension in the stadium was palpable, each tackle and clearance met with roars of encouragement from the stands, as both sets of players grappled with the match’s shifting dynamics.
The pendulum swung yet again when the numbers were leveled, this time at ten versus ten, following a moment of indiscipline from Alavés defender Sánchez. The incident occurred as Vinícius Júnior, Madrid’s electrifying winger, darted toward goal, his quicksilver movement leaving Sánchez grasping at shadows. In desperation, Sánchez lunged, clipping Vinícius’s heels and sending him sprawling. The referee, with little hesitation, reached for the red card, a decision that required no VAR consultation. Sánchez’s dismissal was a self-inflicted wound for Alavés, undoing the advantage they had gained from Mbappé’s earlier exit and restoring a sense of parity to the contest. With both teams now shorn of a player, the match opened up, gaps appearing across the pitch as fatigue and ambition collided. Madrid, sensing an opportunity to kill the game, pushed forward, and late in the match, Jude Bellingham, the English prodigy whose poise belies his youth, found himself with a golden chance. A swift move down the right saw the ball cut back to Bellingham, unmarked at close range, with only Owono to beat. The stadium rose as one, expecting the net to bulge, but Owono, displaying remarkable composure, stood tall and smothered Bellingham’s shot, denying Madrid the insurance goal they craved. The save was a microcosm of Alavés’s defiance, a testament to their refusal to capitulate despite the odds. As the final whistle loomed, both teams traded blows in a frenetic climax, but the scoreline held firm, Madrid clinging to their 1-0 lead forged by Camavinga’s solitary strike.
In the aftermath, the match left lingering questions for both sides. For Madrid, the victory was hard-fought but costly, with Mbappé’s red card likely to prompt scrutiny and debate in the days ahead. Asencio’s disallowed goal, while a footnote in the result, would serve as a learning curve for the young defender, his promise undeniable yet tempered by the game’s unforgiving margins. Alavés, meanwhile, could hold their heads high, their performance a blend of resilience and ambition that bodes well for their campaign. Under the watchful eye of Luis de la Fuente, the match had showcased the depth of talent in Spanish football, from Camavinga’s elegance to Martín’s audacity, even as it highlighted the fine line between triumph and frustration in a sport where every moment is magnified.
