Real Madrid News
Alaves coach questions Vinicius incident after Real Madrid defeat – ‘It was either a penalty or second yellow’
Alaves were left to reflect on a night of fine margins after their 1-2 defeat to Real Madrid, a match that hinged on key moments and sparked debate long after the final whistle.
Despite pushing the visitors hard and briefly restoring parity, they ultimately walked away empty-handed.
Speaking to DAZN, Alaves head coach Eduardo Coudet addressed the incident that quickly became the centre of post-match discussion, which was a possible penalty involving Vinicius Jr. that Real Madrid themselves also highlighted.
From Coudet’s perspective, the decision could easily have gone another way. Assessing the situation, he said,
“It was either a penalty or a second yellow card for Vinicius. We always see everything in our favour, but it’s the referees who have to decide.”
Could have, would have…
Beyond the controversy, Coudet was more concerned with what his side failed to do after their equaliser.
Summing up his feelings, he admitted, “It’s a shame. I’m left with a bad taste in my mouth after having made a big effort and putting Madrid in trouble.
“In these games, you have to finish them off, and we couldn’t do that. But the team is doing well, and we have to keep working,” he noted.
"O era penal… o era la segunda tarjeta" 💭
— DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) December 14, 2025
Chacho Coudet, sobre la jugada en la que Vini reclamó falta dentro del área #LALIGAenDAZN ⚽ pic.twitter.com/MgRXt2vc3r
Meanwhile, Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco repeated those sentiments, focusing on the small lapses that proved costly.
Reflecting on the performance, he pointed to concentration and decision-making in decisive areas. As he explained,
“The team made a great effort, but on two occasions when we lost focus, they scored two goals.
“We knew we had to watch them because they have very fast players up front. We lacked a bit of composure in the final third to score the goal.”
The Vinicius incident
Blanco chose not to dwell too much on the penalty appeal involving Vinicius in the closing stages, admitting the speed of the play made it difficult to judge. Addressing the incident cautiously, he said,
“It all happened very quickly, and I don’t know if there was contact or not. If they didn’t call it, it’s because there was no contact. We’ll have to watch the replay.”
On a more personal note, the match carried added significance for Blanco, who faced the club where he spent part of his formative years.
“It’s always special to play against Real Madrid. Now I’m focused on Alaves and I want to keep adding minutes in what I hope will be an important year,” he concluded.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid hope captain will resume group training tomorrow and be ready for Villarreal
Real Madrid received a major boost in training today as Kylian Mbappe participated in the group session, indicating his readiness for the upcoming game against Villarreal.
The French superstar had returned from international duty with a knee injury, but seems to have left it behind and appears ready to start at the Santiago Bernabeu come Saturday.
What about Federico Valverde?
Now, according to AS, Federico Valverde was not part of the group training session today at Valdebebas. Instead, he was involved in an individual session away from his teammates.
However, Real Madrid hope that their club captain will be able to resume working with the rest of the squad on Thursday, putting him in the fray to return in time for Saturday’s clash against Villarreal.
Valverde is currently recovering from an ankle sprain that he sustained in Real Madrid’s 2-1 derby defeat against Atletico Madrid prior to the international break.
The Uruguayan midfielder was on the receiving end of a harsh tackle from Kang-In Lee, which left him injured, ruling him out of action for the national team.
The 28-year-old stayed behind in Madrid and has worked hard on his recovery, with things progressing in the right direction.
What now remains to be seen is whether he can jump back into group training session on Thursday, which would put him on the path to return to action against Villarreal.
A key player for Mourinho
So far this season, Valverde has emerged as a permanent fixture in the team under new manager Jose Mourinho.
The Real Madrid captain has started all of the team’s eight matches in all competitions this term, scoring and assisting one goal apiece.
His potential availability for Saturday’s clash against Villarreal will come as a major boost for Mourinho & co. Everything will depend on how things progress in tomorrow’s training session at Valdebebas.
With Ibrahima Konate also recovering from his knee sprain, Real Madrid have only three players sidelined currently: Raul Asencio, who recently underwent surgery, Rodrygo Goes, who is a long-term absentee, and Ferland Mendy, who has resumed work with the ball.
