Mbappé scores in his return from injury as Madrid beats Alaves in boost for Alonso

MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé scored in his return from injury on Sunday, leading Real Madrid to a 2-1 win at Alaves in the Spanish league to relieve some of the pressure on coach Xabi Alonso.

Rodrygo also scored as Madrid moved back within four points of leader Barcelona, which beat Osasuna 2-0 on Saturday.

Madrid had won only two of its last eight games in all competitions and was coming off a 2-1 home loss to Manchester City in the Champions League, prompting jeers from fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

“We are together in this, we keep fighting in the good and the bad moments,” Alonso said. “The team competed well today. We started well and came away with the three points. It's fundamental to be united, it's the only way to remain solid and improve day-to-day.”

Mbappé, who missed Madrid's match against City on Wednesday because of a minor injury, scored his 26th goal of the season for Madrid in all competitions after a good run on the left, passing a defender before firing into the top corner from just inside the area in the 24th minute.

Alaves equalized through Carlos Vicente in a 68th-minute breakaway, but Rodrygo put the visitors ahead again from close range after a run and assist by Vinícius Júnior.

It was Rodrygo’s second goal of the season. He had scored for Madrid against City to end a nine-month scoring drought with the club.

Vinícius Júnior hugged Alonso after the goal in a rare show of public support by the Brazilian toward the former Madrid player. The gesture came after media reports said the coach had lost the locker room.

Alaves, which stayed in 12th place, was coming off a win against Sociedad.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois earned his 200th victory in 310 appearances with Madrid since he arrived in 2018. Defender Antonio Rüdiger played in his 100th Spanish league match with the club.

Alonso used 19-year-old Víctor Valdepeñas, from Madrid's “B” team, in the left back position because of injuries to the regular starters.

Second-to-last Oviedo fired coach Luis Carrión after a 4-0 loss at Sevilla.

The result extended Oviedo's winless streak to 10 matches in all competitions. Oviedo hasn't won since a 2-1 victory at Valencia in the Spanish league in September.

Carrión leaves with Oviedo on 10 points from 16 matches.

Sevilla moved to ninth place with 20 points.

Celta Vigo won its first home game of the season in the league by beating seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao 2-0.

The result moved the Vigo club to eighth place, one point behind Athletic.

Nico Williams missed a late penalty kick for Athletic.

The game between Levante and Villarreal originally scheduled for Sunday was postponed because of heavy rain in the Valencia region. The league said it made the decision after safety recommendations made by local authorities amid a weather alert issued in the region.

Villarreal was in third place and has won six in a row in the league. Levante was last and has lost five straight league matches.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, left, watches as players challenge for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso waits for the start of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

KITZBÜHEL, Austria (AP) — Slalom world champion Loic Meillard posted the fastest time and World Cup discipline leader Atle Lie McGrath skied out on Sunday in the opening run of the final event of the classic Hahnenkamm weekend.

Meillard beat Eduard Hallberg of Finland by 0.35 seconds, followed by third-placed Henrik Kristoffersen, who led a group of four racers who were all between 0.47 and 0.52 behind.

Meillard won the world title in Austria last year and was seeking his first slalom win of the current season after two podiums in December, though the Swiss skier did win a giant slalom in France last month.

McGrath went top of the standings last week after winning in Wengen, where he became only the second skier this season with more than one slalom win and positioned himself as one of the favourites for the Feb. 16 race at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

On Sunday, the United States-born Norwegian was 0.27 behind Meillard at the first split and then missed a gate shortly afterward.

“I’m obviously very disappointed and it hurts a lot,” McGrath said. “I was at the start with a good mindset. I really tried to push and stuff like that happens.”

Paco Rassat, the only other skier with two wins this season, was ninth. The Frenchman had 0.95 seconds to make up on Meillard in the final run later Sunday.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Norway's Atle Lie McGrath speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Loic Meillard speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Loic Meillard speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)