Real Madrid vs Alaves Live Score and Commentary, La Liga 2016-17

PEEP! PEEP! PEEEEEP! That's that and Madrid win 3-0 against Alaves

This match has shown just how cruel sport football can be, and despite being palpably the better side for most of the match, Madrid's superior finishing - and that intangible will to win -sees them walk away with a crucial three points.

Thanks for reading! This is Anirudh Menon signing off...

Toodle-ooo!

91' THREE MINUTES ADDED ON!... ELY smashes a header just wide from another superb Romero delivery.

89' Ronaldo jinks one deep, but Bale can't get to it!

Superb, superb, freekick from Gareth Bale as the ball thuds the underside of the crossbar. The ball though bounces kindly to Nacho, who makes no mistake with a poacher's finish. Sergio Ramos would be proud

88' GOOOOAAAL! NACHO!!!

87' Manu Garcia goes into the book for tripping over Dani Carvajal... this is once again Ronaldo/Bale territory....

WHAT A GOAL. He has been quiet all day, but has shown glimpses of what he is capable of. Here he runs onto a lovely little Ronaldo through ball that he SMASHES into the roof of the net from a tight angle

84' GOOOOOOOOOOOOOALL!! ISCO!!!

83' Isco's dribbling is ethereal isn't it? He magicks his way past three hapless Alaves defenders before laying it off to Kovacic whose shot is comfortably handled....

82' OOOOF! Vazquez lifts a speculative ball to the far post and Bale almooost gets a flying volley on target. Meanwhile, Pelligrini throws the kitchen sink at the game as he sends on Christian Santos (striker) for Camarasa (defensive midfielder)

80' Karim Benzema is taken off for Lucas Vazquez - the Frenchman was without a shadow of a doubt been the best Real Madrid forward on display here.

79' the corner is dreadful!

78' Theo Hernandez does superbly to win a corner off Carvajal - the Atletico youngster has impressed today.

77' AIY AIY! Benzema tees up Ronaldo, but it's a wild scuffed shot of an attempt... he hasn't been on his A game here today.

76' Deyverson gives away a freekick by lunging into his compatriot Danilo, and Madrid continue their death-by-a-thousand-passes routine

75' The Bernabeu is not liking this, and the discontent in the air is palpable

73' Oh! Superb move from Madrid as Benzema plays in Danilo with a lovely through ball. The fullback cuts it back and Feddal does exceptionally well to block Ronaldo's snapshot! Meanwhile, Alexander Katai replaces an injured Edgar Mendez

72' Bale tries to dribble his way through the Alaves defence but ends up running into a cul-de-sac.

71' Alaves have comfortably been the better side of this half, and with better finishing, they would have been in the lead. Camarasa meanwhile slips the ball straight to Casilla as he tries a speculative through ball

70' OHOHOHOH!!! Romero's first touch is a delicious ball in that Manu Garcia heads juuust wide with Casilla completely stranded. Alaves are inching closer and closer, aren't they.

69' OW! That was way too audacious! Deyverson lays off the ball to Edgar and he curls a speculative effort straight into the palms of Casilla.

67' That's horrendous from Ronaldo! Benzema slips himin, and he shins a cross straight into the tier. Meanwhile. Zidane takes off the underwhelming Modric for the steelier Kovacic. For Alaves, Ibai Gomez is taken off for Oscar Romero

66' Toquero spanks another superb ball into the box, but Pepe rises highest to smack it clear... Edgar gets the ball back, though, and chips the ball into the box where Deyverson tries to manoeuvre a near impossible header in on goal

65' Alaves look a touch lost here, as Real Madrid proceed expertly with their sucking the life out of this game.

63' Bale skins Hernandez (who is no slouch himself) with an absurd burst of space, but the ball in with his right foot is plain woeful. He's been quiet today

62' Isco and Benzema are on two different wavelengths and both of them leave the ball for each other as Toquero nips in to clear the ball. Madrid need a second goal to soothe the nervous atmoshpere

60' Edgar swings in a ball that goes above all three of the men in the box, but Hernandez keeps it in before swinging it in.... AND HERNANDEZ MISSES THE GOAL FROM FOUR YARDS WITH ABSOLUTELY NO ONE AROUND HIM! OH MY LORD - WHAT A MISS!

58' Real Madrid ping the ball around comfotrtably in Alaves' third of the pitch... nothing incisive as yet, though. Kroos curls one in, and Bale tries to bring it down with his foot, but the ball escapes him

57' Alaves need to be finishing those chances if they are to make anything of this match

56' OH! OH! Toquero curls in a lovely little ball, and once again Deyverson glances a weak header well, well, wide. He should have done better there!

54' GOOOONOOOO!!!! Benzema slips in Ronaldo and the Portuguese does brilliantly well to take on two defenders and curl the ball into the net... but is offside, and the goal is chalked off.

53' He looks okay for the moment, but Real Madrid appear slightly nervous as Alaves continues the ludicrous high press.. Theo Hernandez burns Carvajal for sheer pace, and wins a throw-in deep in Madrid territory. Should have been a foul, though...

52' Toquero hammers into Danilo as both of them go for the ball, and the Brazilian full-back is left on the ground in need of some serious medical attention. That landing looked painful

51' Carvajal tries to utilise Bale's pace down the right, but his long ball is too powerful even for the Welshman.

50'... nothing comes of it, but Ibai Gomez creates all sorts of confusion with a lovely swerving outside of the boot cross from the right, but it just evades the onrushing Manu Garcia.

49' Ronaldo flicks Benzema into the box and goes for the one-two but the Frenchman's elaborate backheel connects with nothing but thin air. Alaves counter immediately and win a corner...

48' OH! OH! OH! From five yards out, Deyverson ducks down to guide a stooping header over the bar! How did he miss that!!! OH MY!!! It all started when Casilla simply couldn't handle a high ball into the box

47' Edgar Mendez contests with Pepe for a Toquero cross, but the Madrid man holds his ground well. Alaves are pressing incessantly, though, and Deyverson wins the ball back...

46' Danilo tries to release Benzema down the left, but this time the ref signals for offside.

PEEP! We're off again!

The players are back on the sunny Bernabeu pitch... this should be a good second 45

PEEP! PEEP! HALFTIME!

Madrid lead through a rather controversial Benzema goal, but it has to be said that on the balance of play they probably deserve the slender lead. Alaves, though, are by no means out of it - and this could make for a very exciting second half

46' One minute added....Danilo motors down the left before pulling it back to Bale, but the Welshman's delicate glance is inches wide of the far post! That was soo close.

45' ibai Gomez pumps one in, Casilla does well to come out and claim. Isco then does superbly to weave his way through five Alaves players before Camarasa kicks him to the ground

44' Bale shakes his hips and loses Hernandez before smashing one into the box, that Modric blatantly handballs to get him into a shooting position. The ref is wise to that play, though, and Alaves have the ball.

42' Kroos releases Ronaldo in the box after good defensive work from Bale. Theo Hernandez does really well to ensure he doesn't let the Madrid talisman get away from him, and is in place to block his shot.

40' Ely dinks a superb long ball to Edgar, but Casilla does his best Neuer impression to come and calmly pass the ball away from Edgar near the middle of the pitch!

39' OW OW OW! Edgar is played in on goal, but a combination of Pepe, Nacho and Casilla manage to smother him and just about clear the ball - Alaves are getting closer and closer here

37' OOOOO! What a cross from Ibai Gomez! He sends in a superb outside-of-the-boot cross that Deyverson can't get enough on with a weak glancing header.

36' Ronaldo is incandescent as Laguardia wrestles him to the ground in the box, but the ref says nothing doing and Alaves are on the attack now....