Alaves vs Real Madrid Highlights & Report 14 August 2021
Tournament: La Liga
Alaves vs Real Madrid Highlights 14 August 2021
Benzema K.(Hazard E.), Real Madrid
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) receives a killer pass, finds himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and scores with aplomb in the roof of the net. What a perfect shot.
Fernandez N.(Modric L.), Real Madrid
It’s in the back of the net! Luka Modric plays it into the box, and Nacho (Real Madrid) gets on the end of the cross to put it into the bottom right corner. 0:2.
Benzema K., Real Madrid
Goal! Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) fires the rebound inside the right post after the ball breaks to him in the box. The score is 0:3.
Alaves vs Real Madrid Report 14 August 2021
Carlo Ancelotti marked his return to Real Madrid with a 4-1 victory against an outclassed Alavés. A Karim Benzema masterclass proved the difference, with the veteran’s brace sending ‘Los Blancos’ to the top of the La Liga table.
With ‘Los Blancos’ having won 17 of the previous 22 H2H clashes, it was a surprise to see the Madrid giants take until the 17th minute to carve out their first opportunity. Sloppy defending from Alavés was pounced on by Casemiro, whose interception fell to Eden Hazard. The midfield maestro jinked onto his right foot, before curling an effort inches wide.
Clearly frustrated at the flow of an eventually-goalless first half, Real Madrid came out after the break reinvigorated, taking the lead almost immediately. Gareth Bale stood a cross up, allowing Lucas Vázquez to square the ball to Hazard, whose exquisite chop elevated the ball for Karim Benzema. The veteran hitman made no mistake, smashing a volley home to give Real Madrid a 1-0 lead.
Despite Real’s loss of both first-choice centre backs, it was Nacho who stepped up to make it 2-0. A short corner enabled Luka Modrić to create the angle through his peerless vision, for a sublime cross that was finished excellently by the new Real Madrid stalwart. A now-rampant Benzema then bagged his brace, when a marauding Federico Valverde beat three men before cutting the ball back. Benzema’s initial shot was salvaged away by Fernando Pacheco, but the Frenchman followed up for his second strike of the night, as he made it back to back braces at the Mendizorrotza.
Immediately, a lapse of concentration from Éder Militão resulted in a penalty for Alavés, as he sold his backpass short, allowing Joselu to round Thibaut Courtois before being brought down. The resulting penalty was slotted home by Joselu, but it would only ever be a minor annoyance for Real in Carlo Ancelotti’s victorious return, and Vinicius Jr added a fourth for Real in stoppage time to make the scoreline a fairer reflection of the gulf between the sides.
