Mbappé and Vinícius lift Real Madrid out of a 4-game slump with a 2-1 win over Alaves

MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior each scored as Real Madrid ended a four-game winless streak by defeating Alaves 2-1 on Tuesday to move closer to Spanish league leader Barcelona.

The victory at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium left Madrid six points behind Barcelona, which hosts sixth-placed Celta Vigo on Wednesday.

It was Madrid's first game since it was eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Madrid lost 2-1 at home and 4-3 in Germany in the second leg. The team's last two Spanish league matches had been a 1-1 home draw against Girona and a 2-1 loss at Mallorca.

“We have six games left,” Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said. “The goal is to win all of them, regardless of what happens. Every game counts."

It was slow start for Madrid on Tuesday and the crowd at the Bernabeu looked anxious as Alaves had a few scoring chances early. Part of the fans jeered as the team struggled. There were some boos after the final whistle as well after Alaves scored late.

Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 30th minute with a shot that deflected on an Alaves defender and fooled goalkeeper Antonio Sivera. Mbappé, the league's leading scorer with 24 goals, hadn't found the net in a league game since February.

Vinícius added to Madrid's lead with a long-range strike in the 50th. The Brazil forward hadn't scored in his last six games between club and country. He was among the players jeered by some of the fans before and during the match. After scoring, he raised his hands in a gesture apparently apologizing to the fans, and there was some applause from the stands to the player.

“Vinicius puts in a tremendous effort, carrying the team on his shoulders,” Arbeloa said. “We can’t deny his attitude. He never hides. He feels a deep connection to the club, and I’m happy when the fans reward him with applause.”

Eduardo Camavinga, who earned his 150th win with Madrid, also was targeted by the Madrid fans before and during the game.

Alaves, sitting one point above the relegation zone, pulled one closer with a goal by Toni Martínez in second-half stoppage time.

Alaves has won only one of its last nine league matches. The lone triumph came at Celta Vigo in March.

Madrid and Brazil defender Éder Militão had to be replaced just before halftime with an injury that Madrid said did not appear to be serious.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón saved a penalty kick and made a few other key stops to help ninth-place Athletic Bilbao hold on for a 1-0 win against midtable Osasuna at home.

Mallorca drew 1-1 with visiting Valencia.

Fifth-place Real Betis won 3-2 at 11th-place Girona, with Rodrigo Riquelme scoring an 80th-minute winner.

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Alaves' goalkeeper Antonio Sivera saves in front oof Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during a La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Eder Militao, in action in front of Alaves' Youssef Enriquez during a La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Alaves' goalkeeper Antonio Siverawatches ball go out of bounds during a La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, and Alaves' Youssef Enriquez fight for the ball during a La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, center, in action during a La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Alaves in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Former Premier League champion Leicester will be playing in the third tier of English soccer next season.

Leicester, which sealed the unlikeliest title win of the Premier League era in 2016 at odds of 5,000-1, needed a victory Tuesday to maintain hope of avoiding relegation but drew 2-2 with Hull.

The midlands club, which also won the FA Cup in 2021 and played in England’s top flight last season, is second to last in the second-tier Championship.

In a statement to fans, Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, said responsibility sat with him.

“There are no excuses,” he said. “We have experienced the highest highs and now the lowest lows, and the pain is shared by all of us. I am truly sorry for the disappointment we have caused.”

Relegation comes after Leicester was docked six points in February for breaching the English Football League’s financial rules when it earned promotion in the 2023-24 season. Earlier this month, it lost its bid to overturn that punishment, leaving it mired in the relegation zone.

It is a dramatic fall after Leicester's fairytale-like title triumph 10 years ago.

It had spent the 2014-15 season battling relegation from the top flight and only an unlikely winning run in the final weeks of that campaign.

What followed was a remarkable title charge that saw it finish 10 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the standings.

In 142 years of existence, Leicester has played just one season in the third tier of English soccer. It won the League One title in 2008-09 and was promoted back to the Championship.

Slipping down English soccer's pyramid is costly mainly because of the decreasing broadcast revenue.

In the 2023-24 season, League One clubs’ average total revenue was $12.2 million, which was about one-quarter of Championship clubs’ average revenue, according to Deloitte. The average revenue for Premier League clubs that season was $422 million.

“Our focus now is on what comes next. We will take the necessary decisions to move the club forward, working together to rebuild, improve, and restore the standards expected of Leicester City,” Srivaddhanaprabha said. “Our objective is clear — to respond strongly and compete to move this club forward again.”

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

Leicester City's Patson Daka reacts after the English Championship soccer match against Hull City in Leicester, England, Tuesday April 21, 2026. (Jacob King/PA via AP)

Leicester City's Patson Daka reacts after the English Championship soccer match against Hull City in Leicester, England, Tuesday April 21, 2026. (Jacob King/PA via AP)

Leicester City's Jannik Vestergaard reacts after the English Championship soccer match against Hull City in Leicester, England, Tuesday April 21, 2026. (Jacob King/PA via AP)