Introduction: Real Madrid

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid looked

vulnerable after playing their most emphatic

game of all-time on Tuesday in a narrow 3-2
victory over Alaves to end the year
unbeaten in the Spanish league.

Lucas Vazquez scored in the first minute,

Kylian Mbappe in the 40th minute and Rodrigo Goes in the 48th minute.

However, goals from Carlos Benavides (85th) and Enrique Garcia (86th) gave Alaves extra excitement in the closing stages.

“When you think the game is over, it only takes one small mistake to score the first goal and it shows the confidence of the opponent and your disbelief,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We don’t want that to happen, but sometimes it can. We have to remember that the team played very well for 60 minutes, which gives us confidence.”

Mbappe was substituted in the 80th minute due to a muscle problem. “I was a little tired, so he asked me to change so there wouldn’t be any problems,” Ancelotti said.

In this game, his 300th as manager of the club, coach Ancelotti used most of his regular players without rotation despite a busy series.

With their fourth win in a row, the defending champions

With their fourth win in a row, the defending champions are in second place with 17 points, one behind Barcelona, ​​​​who host Getafe on Wednesday in midweek.

On Sunday, Madrid celebrated the 1st anniversary of their 3-1 defeat against Atlético Madrid in their last league game. They are unbeaten in 39 games and face the Colchoneros in the first Madrid derby of the season on Sunday.

The Reds have been incredibly strong so far this season, scoring just one of their 18 goals in all competitions in the first half before this game.

Sevilla won at home

An own goal from David Torres (45th) and a late goal from Sidra Ejuke (85th) gave Sevilla a 2-1 win against newly promoted Valladolid.

The Andalusian team climbed to twelfth place with eight points. Enrique Perez (56th) scored the goal for Valladolid, who suffered their fourth defeat of the season and fell to 18th place with 5 points.

After the game, Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco announced that coach Javier García Pimenta had extended his contract until 2027.

In the other result, Valencia played to a goalless draw against Osasuna.
Osasuna is in seventh place with 11 points and Valencia is in seventeenth place with 5 points.