Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe booed at Bernabeu as Real Madrid beat Alaves 2-1

AlavésAthletic ClubAtlético MadridBarcelonaCelta de VigoElcheEspanyolGetafeGironaLevanteMallorcaOsasunaRayo VallecanoReal BetisReal MadridReal OviedoReal SociedadSevillaValenciaVillarrealPodcastsCopa del ReyVinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe booed at Bernabeu as Real Madrid beat Alaves 2-1Vinicius Jr appeared to apologise to Madrid fans after his goal. Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images Share articleVinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe were jeered by the Bernabeu crowd as Real Madrid defeated Alaves 2-1 on Tuesday. Both players were on the scoresheet — Mbappe opened the scoring with a deflected strike from the edge of the box in the 30th minute before Vinicius Jr’s doubled the lead with a  sharp, direct effort from around 25 yards out five minutes into the second half. The Brazilian’s goal was followed by an apology to the crowd and a kiss to the badge. The victory helped ease an atmosphere that had been strained from kick-off. There were whistles for the team, and for both forwards in particular, every time they touched the ball — a carryover from the 6-4 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich that saw Madrid exit the Champions League. The second leg loss against the German champions on Wednesday saw Alvaro Arbeloa’s side extend their run of games without a win to four. Madrid fans are known for expressing their frustration with the club’s players, though the mood in the stadium against Alaves leaned closer to apathy than anger. Attendance dropped to 61,468, the lowest at the Bernabeu this season as the tension lingered. Even at 2-0, French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was met with loud jeers when he came on in the 62nd minute after being sent off in the second leg against Bayern. Camavinga applauding the fans after FT. @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/znNCOn0KvQ pic.twitter.com/HElc5GXR7I — Guillermo Rai (@GuillermoRai_) April 21, 2026 Despite the win, there were reminders that the disconnect between the supporters and the team has not disappeared. Alaves threatened Andriy Lunin’s goal late on in the match, with Toni Martinez scoring in the third minute of additional time, prompting fresh anxiety in the stands. With six matches remaining — including El Clasico on May 9 — Madrid sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Athletic they believe this result can apply some pressure on Barcelona and keep the title race alive, even if it is now their only realistic objective after their Copa del Rey exit to second-division Albacete. Hansi Flick’s Barcelona lead La Liga with 79 points and could restore the gap to Madrid to nine points if they beat Celta Vigo on Wednesday. There was also concern over Eder Militao, who felt discomfort in his left hamstring after hitting the crossbar. He was forced off before half-time and is set to undergo tests on Wednesday, according to club sources. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms