Real Madrid secured a dramatic 1-0 victory against Alaves, propelling them back to the summit of the Spanish league standings. Lucas Vázquez emerged as the hero, scoring a crucial header in stoppage-time to seal the win.
Despite facing adversity with central defender Nacho Fernández receiving a straight red card in the 54th minute, reducing Madrid to 10 players, the team displayed resilience and determination. Manager Carlo Ancelotti praised the squad’s tenacity, stating, “This team finds energy out of nowhere. We held tough, and in the end, we got rewarded.”
The victory helped Real Madrid reclaim the top spot, tied on 45 points with Girona but leading on a tiebreaker. Barcelona, the defending champion, trails seven points behind in third place after narrowly defeating last-place Almeria 3-2 at home on Wednesday.
The decisive goal came from Vázquez, who found himself unmarked inside the area and capitalized on a well-placed corner-kick cross by Toni Kroos. The late goal proved to be a heartbreaker for Alaves, prompting an emotional outburst from coach Luis García on the sidelines.
Real Madrid’s ability to secure a win with a player disadvantage underscores the team’s championship mentality and sets the stage for an intense battle for the La Liga title in the coming matches.
