Some Alaves fans brought an Arsenal shirt to their match against Real Madrid on Sunday, holding it up in the stands during the game.
After failing with a request to reschedule their La Liga fixture against Alaves, Real Madrid travelled to the game three days before their Champions League quarter-final second leg match against Arsenal.
The Gunners won the first leg 3-0, and Carlo Ancelotti’s team were likely still reeling from that result. But both teams had plenty to play for on Sunday, with Real Madrid still alive in the title race and Alaves only marginally clear of the relegation zone.
To try and give their team an edge, some Alaves supporters brought an Arsenal shirt to the match.
As for what Arsenal fans can take from the actual football match, it’s a mixed bag.
Real Madrid did win the game, but only thanks to a winner from Eduardo Camavinga, who is suspended for Wednesday’s Arsenal match.
Kylian Mbappe received a straight red card for a bad foul in the 38th minute, but he will serve his suspension in domestic competition. If anything, the sending-off just means he’s better rested for Arsenal.
That’s not true for the rest of the team, who had to play on with 10 men. But very few of Wednesday’s likely starters completed the full 90, with the likes of Rodrygo withdrawn early and Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior only used as substitutes.
It will be encouraging to Mikel Arteta and his team that Real Madrid could only score once against relegation-threatened Alaves, given they need at least three against Arsenal on Wednesday.
But in the circumstances, with all the rotation and the time spent with 10 men, it’s difficult to read too much into Sunday’s game.