Three questions and three answers from Real Madrid 5-0 Alavés

Real Madrid continued partying at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu as Alavés fell victims to the champions with a thumping win. Early on, Jude Bellingham volleyed in a finely-taken goal, before Vinícius Júnior tapped in a second and Fede Valverde smashed a third into the back of the net. After the break, the Englishman set up the Brazilian for a second and substitute Arda Güler got in on the act to seal a 5-0 victory.

Three answers

1. Is there anything left to play for?

With Real Madrid already having sealed the title and Alavés already secure from relegation and some distance from having a whiff of European football, this game was effectively a glorified exhibition game. Carlo Ancelotti didn’t shy away with his team selection, picking a very strong line-up that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Champions League tie at another time of the season with many of those who are likely to start at Wembley on June 1st. The prospect of fighting for a place in that side is all that is truly left for these Real Madrid players to be motivated by, and you could tell who has that on the line as Eduardo Camavinga took risks when perhaps other players may have played it safe, and looked to burst forward while others were happy to take things slow. It was exactly such a moment that saw him stretch to get the ball, sprint and set up Vinícius Júnior for the second goal. In any case, it doesn’t stop Real Madrid putting on a show!

2. What kind of Éder Militão would we see?

Since the return of Éder Militão following his ACL injury in August, we haven’t quite seen him at his best. He’s looked rusty and short of match practice, without the strength and physicality that has made him such an iconic figure in the Real Madrid defence. Against Alavés, he had a difficult opponent in Samu Omorodion, the Alavés forward on loan from Atlético Madrid who has scored nine goals this season. Militão handled him well and did not shy away from the challenge, and his stats were actually quite impressive with a match-high seven duels won, but he didn’t look as secure as Madridistas are used to. He needs more time to gain fitness.

3. What is the condition of the Bernabéu pitch?

Footage on social media this week showed that the turf on the field of the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu was in far from ideal condition as it was brought back up to surface level from the underground greenhouse, and it had not improved significantly from then. There were patches of dead grass, particularly down the flanks, and the goalmouths were churned up quickly and without much footwork from the two goalkeepers. It had little impact on play itself, but there’s a real risk of injury for players when playing on turf like this. An injury to a Real Madrid player now could prove very costly, and it’s something that the club must work on as a priority ahead of the 2024/25 season. Teething problems were always inevitable with the new set-up and the works to the stadium, but this is a pretty major one that is fortunate not to have happened with more at stake.

Three questions

1. Is it worth charging €75 ($81) for a ticket to a game like this one?

As previously mentioned, a game like this had little to nothing riding on it, but the players didn’t show as much with how they worked through the game. The stands of the Bernabéu had a couple of empty seats for the first time in a while, and that even with the party atmosphere and celebrations that saw the whole city turn out only 48 hours previously. There are a number of factors at play here, one being the fact that this came as a 9:30pm kick-off on a Tuesday night (which is far from family-friendly). What’s more, in addition to the limp spectacle of the opponents and what was at stake, a regional holiday on Wednesday means many may have opted to find a better plan. But in particular, there’s also a moment to reflect. The cheapest tickets available to the general public were set at €75, equivalent to $81. Is it any surprise that Madridistas weren’t snapping up tickets? The club needs to raise funds and there won’t be a shortage of those looking to attend, but this was one of those few occasions where empty seats are visible from the press box, and perhaps a missed opportunity to bring in a different crowd who can’t afford such prices.

2. Should Arda Güler have started this game?

There had been speculation pre-match that Arda Güler could be in the starting line-up alongside some of the club’s bigger names, after weeks of featuring in much rotated sides. The Turk was even tipped to play alongside Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior in what would have been an intriguing front three had it gone ahead, but instead he was left on the bench. He did get on for the final half hour in place of Camavinga, and got himself on the scoresheet on 82 minutes for his fourth goal in eight La Liga appearances. The future looks bright, but fans are itching to see even more of Güler and Ancelotti may just be managing that excitement.

3. Will it be Andriy Lunin or Thibaut Courtois in goal for the Champions League final?

As soon as the second minute the Bernabéu was chanting Thibaut Courtois’ name around the stadium as he made a strong save early on. While Éder Militão’s form has shown how such a serious injury can impact a player, Courtois looks as good as he was before his ACL injury. Of course, they play in very different positions, but the Belgian has looked reliable and solid with quick reactions and looks very sharp to react. Andriy Lunin was benched for this game, the third in a row in La Liga and this being the first time he has missed consecutive games since November when he was playing deputy to Kepa. Ancelotti may not have made his mind up about the Champions League final yet, but he’s clearly willing to give Courtois all the game time he needs to be in the best possible condition to start.