Alavés 0 - Real Madrid 3

Alavés: Costanzo; Edu Alonso, Juanito, Pellegrini, Carreras; De Lucas (Mena 75'), Astudillo, Carpintero (Arthuro 79'), Nené; Aloisi (Rubén Navarro 65'), Bodipo. 4-4-2.
Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Sergio Ramos, Roberto Carlos; Pablo García, Guti; Beckham (Diogo 85'), Raúl (Robinho 73'), Baptista (Gravesen 79'); Ronaldo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Alavés: Carreras, Bodipo for Coromina, Jandro / Madrid: Sergio Ramos, Guti, Baptista for Woodgate, Gravesen, Robinho.

Goals:
0-1. 59. Ronaldo. Picked up rebound off Carpintero and shot under Costanzo.
0-2. 82. Ronaldo. Controlled pass from Beckham and rounded keeper to score.
0-3. 92. Guti. From right of goal after Robinho shot blocked by defender.

Real Madrid are up to third in the table after a 0-3 win over bottom club Alavés. The locals held their own though early on, and Bodipo and De Lucas could both have given them the lead if they could have found the target early on. Casillas was also called upon to keep out efforts from Nené and Aloisi before the half time whistle.

Madrid's best efforts came from a long shot by Baptista and a wide free kick from Beckham, both of which Costanzo dealt with competently. But Luxemburgo's side were gradually winning control, and they took the lead on the hour mark when Raúl's cross bounced back off two defenders into the path of Ronaldo, who fired a first time shot past the keeper.

Ronaldo could have had a second when he controlled a long pass by Roberto Carlos and drove a shot against the post, but soon afterwards he did make it two after picking up another long ball from Beckham to round the keeper and score. The celebration was to say the least curious, the Brazilians lying on their backs in the "dead ant" position, which in Spain is known as the "Cucuracha".

Alavés did have one more try to get back in the game, Bodipo's header going just wide. But with the game coming to an end Guti made it three with an angled shot after an effort by fellow substitute Robinho had been blocked, and it was all over. Madrid had recorded their second win in a row, something which should not be unusual but with their current run of form was a welcome relief.