MAN OF THE MATCH Mubarak Wakaso (Alaves): He was enjoyably aggressive through the match, booting players across the park for the first hour until he got booked.
In between the violence he kept the ball well for his team and won it back from his opponents.
A vital display kept his side in the game until the winner.
Real Madrid have failed to score in four consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since April 1985 (five), their worst run ever.
Real Madrid have failed to score in four consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since April 1985 (five), their worst run ever.
El Glorioso have started the season in fine fashion and are currently in the European places after a run of three consecutive victories over Espanyol, Valladolid and Rayo – a 5-1 thrashing of the Madrid side away from home – briefly had Abelardo’s side in the Champions League spots and as high as third.
Alavés have failed to win either of their last two Liga outings though, drawing 1-1 with Getafe and losing 2-1 away at Levante. Abelardo’s sole crack at one of the traditional heavyweights ended in a 3-0 defeat in Camp Nou when the visitors opted for a 4-5-1 to try and contain the reigning champions. Since then, the former Sporting coach has settled on a 4-4-2 and results have backed that decision. Abelardo rested several players for the defeat in the Ciutat de Valencia and will recall Mubarak Wakaso and Darko Brasanac to the centre of midfield for the visit of Real as he seeks to wrest control of the centre and set up a supply line to Jonathan Calleri and Rubén Sobrino.
Real Madrid
Lopetegui can call on Gareth Bale again after the Wales forward sat out the defeat in Moscow as a precaution but is still missing Isco, Marcelo and Dani Carvajal. After trying out debutant Sergio Reguilón on the left against CSKA, the Madrid manager is likely to err on the side of caution and play Nacho in place of Marcelo with Álvaro Odriozola coming in on the right of the back four.
Sergio Ramos will return after his manager’s – arguably mistaken – decision to rest him for the midweek Champions League game alongside Raphaël Varane with the midfield three of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos reunited after the Croatia midfielder started on the bench in Moscow.
Up front, Bale will be accompanied by Karim Benzema, who has failed to muster a single shot on target in six games, and Marco Asensio, who has been under-par in recent fixtures. A lot of the visitors’ fortune will depend on Bale’s ability to break the Alavés back line with his surging runs from deep as Lopetegui seeks something that has rarely proved so elusive at the Bernabéu over the past decade, a goal at the other end. Real have conceded eight first half goals this season and the Real manager’s primary instruction to his side will be to start as strongly as possible; only once in all competitions have Madrid successfully come from behind this season, against Girona in week two of LaLiga.