Carreras praises Real Madrid teammates after scoring against Rayo Vallecano
After the 2-1 win against Inter Milan in their opening game of the UEFA Champions League 2026-27, Real Madrid returned to La Liga action last night as they faced their cross-town rivals, Rayo Vallecano, at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Merengues won this game 4-1, even though the game was not as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.
Jose Mourinho had made several changes to his starting lineup for this game, and one of these changes came at the left-back position, where Alvaro Carreras started in place of Marc Cucurella. This decision ultimately proved to be the right one, as Carreras played a key role in the first two goals scored by his team.
First, he won the penalty that was converted by Kylian Mbappe in the 14th minute. Then, only three minutes later, he himself got on the scoresheet after smartly finishing a move that he himself created in conjunction with Mbappe.
As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the fullback also spoke to Real Madrid TV after the end of the game. While analyzing the game, Carreras highlighted the intensity shown by the team:
“Above all, I would highlight the intensity from the first minute. We came out together and with the desire to show that we are at home, that we are a team, and that at home it is especially important to pick up three points. We went out with that mentality and we did it.”
The defender expressed his happiness with his first goal of the season:
“It was a great game from the team, but I’m happy about the goal, which is my first of the year. I received the ball from Jude, gave it to Kylian, was lucky that he returned it to me in the box, and I finished into the corner. I’m happy.”
The fullback also opened up on what it means for him to play for Real Madrid:
“I’m very happy and living a dream, as I said from the first day. I’ll continue enjoying this incredible experience of playing for the best club in the world and keep working to achieve the team’s objectives.”
Carreras also commented on what Mourinho asks of his fullbacks:
“He wants intensity. It’s difficult to maintain that level of intensity for 90 minutes. In the final minutes, I think he brought on Cucurella to help me defensively and help the team. We were suffering a little. In the last match, it was my turn to help him, and today it was his turn to help me.”
Finally, the defender also talked about what the team is aiming for:
“We have our objectives firmly in mind. We want to go out and win every match, pressing and, above all, finishing every move. We know there are a lot of goals in this team, and we’re showing it.”
With this performance, Alvaro Carreras has proven himself to be another reliable option for the left flank, where Marc Cucurella is expected to be the regular starter. This competition will only improve the performances of both players, and hopefully, will return good dividends for Real Madrid.
