Alaves vs Real Madrid: La Liga – team news, start time, lineups

Real Madrid have only won two of their last eight matches piling pressure on their manager Xabi Alonso for Alaves trip.

Who: Alaves vs Real Madrid What: Spain’s La Liga Where: Mendizorroza Stadium in Vitoria, Spain When: Sunday, December 14, at 9pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream. Real

Madrid will hope to ease the pressure on Xabi Alonso when they visit Alaves on Sunday, but the record La Liga winners will know that one more defeat could spell the end of the short-lived tenure of their beleaguered manager. In a

welcome show of solidarity, Los Blancos midfielder Jude Bellingham said on Wednesday, after their defeat by Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, that the players were behind Alonso and no one was “downing tools”. More wel

come news for the Madrid-based club is that Kylian Mbappe is back in contention for Sunday’s game after missing out against City due to injury. Al Jazeera

Sport takes a look at what is surely a must-not-lose for Alonso, but – with Barcelona seven points clear – may well be a must-win. Alonso, whom S

panish media reported was set for the sack if Madrid lost against City, remains at the helm despite a 2-1 defeat at a frustrated, whistling Bernabeu. The hope is th

at the match, despite the outcome, can be a turning point for a team with just two wins in their last eight games across all competitions. Alonso’s playe

rs rallied around him, with not only Bellingham offering public messages of support after the game and even during it, as goalscorer Rodrygo Goes ran over to hug his manager. “The only thing

we can do is change our attitude … and [against City] we saw a change,” said defender Raul Asencio. Goalkeeper Thibaut Cou