Real Madrid 0 - Alavés 1

Real Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Julio César, Iván Helguera, Karanka, Roberto Carlos; McManaman (Ognjenovic 67'), Karembeu, Baljic (Meca 78'); Savio; Anelka. 4-4-2.
Alavés: Herrera; Contra, Karmona, Téllez, Torres Mestre; Nan Ribera (Ibon Begoña 8'), Desio, Astudillo, Morales, Magno (Kodro 70'); Javi Moreno (Azkoitia 60'). 4-5-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Salgado, Iván Helguera, Karembeu, Savio for Iván Campo, Geremi, Redondo, Raúl / Alavés: Nan Ribera, Desio, Javi Moreno for Eggen, Pablo, Julio Salinas.

Goals:
0-1. 86. Azkoitia. Glancing header after corner from left.

Real Madrid lost a good chance to catch up ground on the teams above them after falling to this season's revelation team, Alavés. The 1-0 specialists took their game to the Bernabeu stadium and won as only they know how, with a late headed goal by substitute Azkoitia. The Alavés matches are actually reminiscent of the film 'Groundhog Day', with the same scenes being repeated time and time again. As readers of these pages will know, a pattern is developing which can be adapted to each of their matches, involving a nine man midfield/defence and a swap of names from one game to the next. So it was that Nan Ribera replaced the suspended Eggen, Desio returned after an illness in midfield for Pablo, and Javi Moreno came in for veteran striker Julio Salinas. Azkoitia came on for Moreno near the end and got the goal. 0-1 to Alavés. The difference was that this was Real Madrid in front of them and not Valladolid, albeit that Del Bosque had rested several key players with one eye on Tuesday's Champions League game at Bayern Munich. Having played over 50 games this season, Raúl was given a well-earned rest, together with Argentinian midfielder Redondo, with Savio and Karembeu covering for them. Morientes and Iván Campo were both left on the substitutes' bench. Right now the Champions League is Madrid's top priority, and the changes were justifiable at this stage in the season. However Raúl in particular was missed in attack, and the Savio-Anelka combination did not create as much danger as the young forward with his normal strike partner Morientes. In the first half the only shots on goal came from Savio and Roberto Carlos, and Herrera in the Alavés goal was not really troubled. The visitors filled midfield with men and controlled the game, and as time went on they grew in confidence. Ibon Begoña had to replace the injured Nan Ribera early on, but the game plan didn't change. In the second half Alavés began a couple of timid attacks, with Astudillo forcing a corner out of Karanka. That must have frightened their manager Mané,so he took off his only striker Moreno and put on another midfielder, Azkoitia. They were now playing a 5-5-0 formation. After Del Bosque decided to rest McManaman, Mané rethought his plan, and brought on one of his veteran strikers Kodro. Azkoitia fired a warning shot over the bows of Casillas goal as his team strung together a simple but effective game. Savio missed an easy header and Anelka shot wide before Herrera pulled off the best two saves of the match, firstly low from another Savio header, and then pushing Anelka's second shot over the bar. Four minutes from time Azkoitia got in front of the defence to head a corner home for the winner, makeshift captain Roberto Carlos lunging desperately but unable to stop it entering the net. Hugs and kisses all round and Alavés had completed a hat-trick of wins against the three Champions League semi-finalists in their own stadiums. They move one point ahead of Real Madrid to fourth place, level on points at the end of the weekend with Zaragoza and Valencia. Madrid drop to sixth in the league, but mathematically they still have a chance of winning the title, with only six points between them and Deportivo. They have bigger fish to fry right now however, and after this result they have to go for the Champions League as their best route into next year's competition.

Remaining matches:
Madrid: Betis (A), Valladolid (H)
Alavés: Numancia (H), Bilbao (A)

Valencia 4 - Real Sociedad 0

Valencia: Cañizares; Anglomá (Gerardo 35'), Djukic, Pellegrino, Carboni; Mendieta, Albelda, Farinós, Kily González (Milla 68'); Angulo; Piojo López (Ilie 65'). 4-4-1-1.
Real Sociedad: Alberto; Fuentes, Gurrutxaga, Pikabea, Aranzábal; Aranburu, Juan Gómez; Idiakez, Khokhlov, Sa Pinto; Jankauskas. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Valencia: Kily González, Piojo Lopez for Gerard, Sánchez / Real: Idiakez, Sa Pinto for López Rekarte, De Paula.

Goals:
1-0. 17. Angulo. Touched in after Kily crossed from left.
2-0. 50. Piojo López. Rounded Alberto and shot into empty net.
3-0. 78. Carboni. Free kick from outside area into top of net.
4-0. 89. Mendieta. First time volley in off post after centre from Farinós on left.

Valencia kept up their recent momentum with their fifth straight win in a row in the league against a disappointing Real Sociedad side. With none of the top four winning, they and Alavés took advantage to move up into contention for the four Champions League places, and the race is now wide open with only two games to go. Héctor Cúper's side do not appear to be suffering from the 'weldschmertz' that is currently hitting Barcelona and Real Madrid, and despite playing with a reduced block of players since early August (remember they had to qualify for the league stage of the Champions League), they go from strength to strength. With few first class replacements for his strongest side, Cúper kept the same core of players who defeated Barcelona 4-1 midweek. In fact only Gerard was rested at the start, with Albelda taking his place, although he did take of Kily and Piojo once the game was under control, bringing on Milla and Ilie who were both returning after long injuries. Javier Clemente broughtback Sa Pinto after a one match suspension, and gave Idiakez a rare start after the young midfielder had shown good form recently. Clemente has been copying Irureta's successful 4-2-3-1 formation with some success before this match, but this time his team were no match for the rapid attacking football from the home side. One of the keys of Valencia's recent success has been the inclusion of Angulo in the attack supporting Piojo López, and he scored his fifth goal in eight games in the league to add to the two he got against Barcelona on Tuesday. Real's keeper Alberto was the most active man in his side, stopping efforts from Djukic and Angulo and watching shots from Mendieta and Kily go just wide. Just after the half hour Valencia suffered a blow when Angloma had to leave the field, and he is now doubtful for next week's Champions League return leg. Real's only reply came from dead ball kicks, with Cañizares only getting his first touch of the ball part way through the second half after a shot by Idiakez. Before that Piojo had given his team a comfortable cushion, taking advantage of a mistake by Juan Gómez to race around Alberto for his tenth goal of the season. Clemente took off Gómez and put on De Pedro, and a few minutes later he brought on his other De (Paula that is) for Idiakez. Real started to come back, but Carboni finished them off with a cracking free kick from some 30 yards out which Alberto with no chance. In the last minute Mendieta scored the best goal of the night with a first time volley back across the goal and in off the post after Farinós had put the ball over from the left. The crowd were singing once again 'we're on our way to Paris' (via Barcelona I suppose). On this showing they are the most on-form team in Europe at the moment, but if they don't go all the way they should be back in next year's competition anyway. It is in their own hands, with their last match at home to Zaragoza, with whom they are now level on points (although dare we say it, they may have another slightly more important match three days later). Real Sociedad meanwhile have only picked up one point in the last three matches and are approaching the danger zone once again. They are still a point ahead of Oviedo and four above revitalised Betis, but they have two tricky ties ahead of them. The fat lady hasn't started to sing just yet.....

Remaining matches:
Valencia: Celta (A), Zaragoza (H)
Real: Barcelona (H), Oviedo (A)