Real Madrid End Winless Streak with Victory Over Alaves

Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Alaves on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, ending a four-game winless streak in La Liga. The win came courtesy of goals from Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, keeping Madrid’s slim hopes alive of catching league leaders Barcelona.

Match Summary

Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a shot that deflected off an Alaves defender and fooled goalkeeper Antonio Sivera. Vinicius Junior doubled the lead six minutes into the second half, latching onto a pass from Federico Valverde to strike into the bottom corner. Alaves pulled one back late through Tony Martinez, but Madrid held on for the win.

The result moved Real Madrid to within six points of Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table. Barcelona hosts Celta Vigo on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, and could extend their lead back to nine points with a victory.

Team Context

The victory marked Real Madrid’s first match since their elimination from the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals by Bayern Munich. Madrid lost the first leg 2-1 at home and the second leg 4-3 in Germany. Prior to the Alaves match, Madrid had recorded a 1-1 home draw against Girona and a 2-1 loss at Mallorca in La Liga.

Alaves entered the match as a relegation-threatened side. Despite creating early chances and briefly silencing parts of the Bernabeu crowd with their pressure, they were unable to secure a point.

Player Performances

Kylian Mbappe, La Liga’s leading scorer with 24 goals at the time, ended a personal goal drought that had stretched back to February. Vinicius Junior scored his 12th goal of the campaign, ending a six-game scoreless run across club and country competitions.

Midfielder Federico Valverde played a key role in the build-up to Vinicius’s goal, while Thibaut Courtois was not featured in the match reports, with Andriy Lunin listed as the starting goalkeeper for Real Madrid in some player ratings summaries.

Looking Ahead

Real Madrid’s next fixture is an away trip to Real Betis on Friday night, April 24, 2026. Alaves will host Mallorca on Saturday, April 25, 2026, as they continue their battle to avoid relegation.

With just six games remaining in the La Liga season, Real Madrid’s title hopes now depend on maintaining their own form while hoping for slip-ups from Barcelona and other contenders.