Three Players Who Troubled Real Madrid Against Alaves

Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Alaves in a match that seemed easy on paper but turned out to be a considerably tougher challenge. The current state of Real Madrid, where easy games have become increasingly rare, was evident once again.

Nevertheless, the Madrid team managed to overcome their opponent in the end, with the decisive goal coming in the 76th minute from Rodrigo. The Brazilian forward, who had endured a long goalless streak, scored for the second match in a row.

Match Summary: Alaves 1–2 Real Madrid. Goals: Kylian Mbappe (24th minute, 0-1), Carlos Vicente (68th minute, 1-1), Rodrigo (76th minute, 1-2).

The match took place on December 14 at the Mendizorroza Stadium. Below are subjective ratings for Real Madrid players, based on a 10-point system, highlighting the three least successful performers of the match.

Vinicius – 4.0. While it was reported that Xabi Alonso shouted "Bravo" at Vinicius after a substitution, the performance on the field did not justify such praise.

Vinicius lagged behind his opponent on his flank both in activity and creating chances. He only appeared effective in a single moment: his pressure forced defender Otto into an error, leading to Rodrigo’s goal on a precise assist.

Beyond this, the Brazilian player lost 12 out of 15 duels, gave away possession 16 times, committed four fouls, and was shown a yellow card.

Arda Güler – 4.0.

The Turkish midfielder could have recorded an assist when Jude Bellingham’s handball canceled a chance created from his corner. Unfortunately, this became his only notable moment in the game.

In the central midfield, Arda struggled under intense pressure from the opponent, effectively becoming “invisible” as they closely marked him. While the physically stronger Bellingham managed to break through the pressing, Güler could not influence the game.

Antonio Rüdiger – 3.5. It is evident that Rüdiger is being fielded despite not being fully recovered, as there is currently no adequate replacement for him.

The German defender allowed Carlos Vicente to break through, avoided an offside trap, and ultimately caused the equalizing goal. Rüdiger frequently left gaps by moving forward, leaving the backline exposed, which added extra pressure on Thibaut Courtois.

Recently, Rüdiger’s usual reliability and expected impact in set-pieces and offensive transitions have been largely absent. Read “Zamin” on Telegram!