Real Madrid extended their winning run to five games with a 3-2 triumph against Deportivo Alaves on Tuesday night.
Los Blancos were in cruise control for much of the evening at the Santiago Bernabeu, leading 3-0 heading into the final five minutes.
But two goals in two minutes changed the complexion of the affair and left home fans trembling a little ahead of this weekend’s derby with Atletico.
Here are 90min’s pick for winners and losers from Tuesday’s encounter in the Spanish capital.
Kylian Mbappe
Are we really going to fawn over Kylian Mbappe for scoring a goal against Alaves?
Well, yes and no. Maybe not fawn, but appreciate that he’s got his wheels in motion again.
After arriving on a free from Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, knives were immediately out for Mbappe when he didn’t bag in any of his first three La Liga games.
Since ending that relative drought with a brace against Real Betis, Mbappe has now scored in four successive league fixtures and is starting to put up the numbers expected of him.
In the most Roy Keane of tones, that is his job, after all. But these goals do matter in the grander scheme of the game.
If Mbappe wants to be anointed indisputably as the world’s best player and eventually win the Ballon d’Or, then he must at least try and keep pace with the scoring exploits of Erling Haaland over in England with Manchester City.
Jude Bellingham
The coverage surrounding Madrid has been a tad negative to begin the season.
As mentioned in the case of Mbappe, the length of rope you have in regards to patience is pretty short when you’re Los Blancos, especially after coming off La Liga and UEFA Champions League triumphs last term.
Jude Bellingham has been on the end of some finger-pointing in the ‘who killed the party?’ game some of the Spanish press have been playing, but he quietened his doubters with the assist for Mbappe which doubled Madrid’s lead.
We should also reserve a shoutout for Rodrygo, often chucked into transfer gossip without much care, after he scored what proved to be the decisive goal at the start of the second half.
Jesus Vallejo
Whooooo remembers former Football Manager legend (and apparently ex-Wolves defender) Jesus Vallejo?
Now 27, the centre-back is supposed to be entering the prime years of his career, but he has done little to advance it in recent times, often going out on ill-fated loans or settling for the backup slot in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
Vallejo made his first appearance for Madrid in over a year when he was brought on for the final 10 minutes against Alaves, during which the visitors scored their two goals.
Now, it’s not as if Vallejo was directly at fault for either strike, but it’s hardly a great look for a defender trying to reestablish his place in the manager’s thinking. Sadly, that makes him Madrid’s loser of the game.
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