Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior helped Real Madrid close the gap on Barcelona.
Real Madrid kept pressure on Barcelona in the La Liga title race with a 2-1 win over Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The victory reduced Barcelona’s lead at the top of the table to six points, although the league leaders can restore their nine-point advantage when they face Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
Real Madrid entered the match under pressure after Champions League quarter-final elimination to Bayern Munich and a two-game winless run in the league.
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a composed finish, taking his La Liga tally to 24 goals this season. Six minutes after halftime, Vinicius Junior doubled the lead after finishing a pass from Federico Valverde into the bottom corner.
Alaves pulled one back through Tony Martinez with the final kick of the match, but Real held on for three crucial points.
The result keeps Real Madrid in the hunt, with a decisive second El Clasico against Barcelona still to come in May.
With only six games remaining, every point now matters in Spain’s title battle. Real Madrid next face Real Betis, while Alaves host Mallorca.
For now, the title race remains alive.