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Three talking points ahead of Deportivo Alaves vs Real Madrid | La Liga MD16
Real Madrid played over a month of fixtures away from home and returned to the Santiago Bernabeu only for the game against Celta Vigo.
After a seemingly torrid run on the road and a win over Athletic Club to close it out, all signs pointed to Real Madrid turning their season around back in their fortress.
What followed, however, was shocking as Los Blancos not only lost to Celta Vigo but also went on to lose against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League at home just days later.
Having lost both games at their fortress, they now return on the road against Alaves. Given the injuries, suspensions, and Real Madrid’s poor form in away games, there does not appear to be much optimism ahead of Sunday night’s clash.
Moreover, the pressure on Xabi Alonso only adds to the stakes and virtually places his future in the hands of the team.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Deportivo Alaves vs Real Madrid.
Gaining back momentum
Real Madrid have been on a tilt for the past month, and matters have not been going their way, particularly in La Liga.
While indeed they have lost against both Manchester City and Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League in recent match days, the fact remains that they have thrown away a sizeable lead and allowed Barcelona back into the driver’s seat.
While the league title race will indeed be a priority come Sunday night, one cannot deny that the first objective must simply be to break their run of poor form.
It is not often that Los Blancos lose two games in a row, and the last time that happened was back in April when they lost to Valencia and Arsenal in back-to-back games.
Now, they stare at the same rare situation as they have lost to Celta Vigo and Manchester City and must look to get the momentum back on their side. A third consecutive defeat on Sunday, after all, would be devastating.
A non-existent defence
The big issue for Xabi Alonso heading into the game against Deportivo Alaves is the defensive situation, where a combination of injuries and suspensions leave him crippled for options.
The situation is indeed far better than it appeared 24 hours ago, with both Dean Huijsen and Antonio Rudiger being given the green light after their injuries. Alongside Raul Asencio, the duo give the manager three options to choose from.
The full-back positions, however, are virtually non-existent ahead of the upcoming game, and it is clear that Real Madrid’s defence will be compromised on the night.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal will both be unavailable on Sunday through their respective long-term injuries, while both Alvaro Carreras and Fran Garcia miss out on the game through the suspensions they earned against Celta Vigo.
Federico Valverde is expected to start at right-back despite playing through discomfort himself, while one of Rudiger and Huijsen is likely to start despite just returning from discomfort.
At left-back, the question is far more challenging, and it remains to be seen how Alonso solves the problem of the frail defence.
Job on the line
Arguably, the biggest talking point ahead of Real Madrid’s game against Celta Vigo is that of Xabi Alonso’s job and the pressure on the manager ahead of the game.
The new coach has been under fire for a long time now, first for rumouredly losing the dressing room and then for the team’s poor results.
Word had it that he would be sacked if the team lost to Manchester City, and the team went on to do the same. The administration, however, handed him one more chance.
As the game against Alaves nears, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that it could well be his final chance to prove that he is the right man for the job. A defeat, and it could all come crashing down for the club legend.
Heading into the game in difficult circumstances, the situation does not look rosy for the manager, and reports linking the club to his potential replacements are getting stronger.
The big question, thus, is will tomorrow’s game will be the final one in the Xabi Alonso era, which started with so much promise but fell apart like a house of cards? Only time will tell.
Real Madrid made a mess of their game against Elche last night, and it is clear that the men in white have several flaws with no answers at the moment.
From being 2-0 up, the men in white bottled their lead and threw the game into jeopardy by permitting Elche to score two goals. The result, as many saw it, was set to end in a draw.
With some persistent attacks in the dying minutes, however, Real Madrid managed to build pressure on Elche and eventually scored one more goal at the death to take home the three points.
Needless to say, however, the negatives from the game far outweigh the positive news of the three points.
Madrid Universal brings you three takeaways from Elche 2-3 Real Madrid.
Another second-half collapse
After Real Madrid’s win over Rayo Vallecano at the weekend, Jose Mourinho stressed the fact that Real Madrid actually played only one half and that the fatigue began showing after the break.
On the night, the opposition began to enjoy more dominance and create chances after half-time as they outran and outpressed Los Blancos to good effect.
Last night was no different, and the second half went completely awry.
The men in white entered the half-time break cruising with a 2-0 lead and significant dominance over the proceedings. They had a massive xG, with Elche barely creating any chances of note.
After the break, however, the entire dynamic of the game changed as Real Madrid took a step back and handed the impetus to the hosts. Pressing high and attacking without fear, Elche dominated Real Madrid for most of the second half and had a staggering 60% of possession.
They scored twice – in the 71st and 83rd minutes – and equalised Real Madrid on the night. Given the visitors’ shambolic display, it was deserved for Elche.
At this point, the constant second-half collapses and fatigue struggles of the team after just 45 minutes of action must worry Jose Mourinho immensely. Heading into a derby away from home, Real Madrid have to do much better.
The away curse continues
While Real Madrid’s form at home has been imperious this season, their form away from home has been equally shocking.
They began their season with a last-minute win over Espanyol, and their second league game of the season on the road came against Real Betis and ended in defeat.
Heading into their third away game last night, there was an element of worry about how they would perform, and the trend continued once more.
Real Madrid did well to take the lead on the night, but they made the second half a massive war and far more difficult than it should have been.
At this point, serious questions have to be raised about Real Madrid’s form on the road and their inability to keep games under control when playing in away stadiums.
Heading forward in the season, Los Blancos have some massive away games coming up against far more difficult opposition. The Madrid derby is up next, and the team’s form is nothing promising heading into that fixture.
Carlos Espi saves the day… again!
Real Madrid are currently on 15 points after six games in the league, but Carlos Espi has directly contributed to a massive chunk of that.
If not for the new Spanish striker’s ability to come up clutch in big moments, Real Madrid could well have been on just 11 points at this stage in the season, and the four points he has added are absolutely crucial.
Against Espanyol, it was Espi who scored a stoppage-time winner to hand Real Madrid all three points after a complicated match. Last night, he repeated the same heroics once more.
With the team staring at a draw, the new signing was at the right place at the right time to bury Kylian Mbappe’s assist in stoppage time, handing Real Madrid all three points at the death.
He may not have played a large part on the night, but his cameo was again powerful and it is clear that he elevates the team’s attack and provides new solutions in front of goal. Espi has already proven his talent, and his ability to perform under pressure is what makes him special.
