Dean Huijsen sends Real Madrid title-race message after Alaves win

Dean Huijsen did not hide from the situation after Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Alavés. The young center back made the message simple: Madrid have to win every remaining game and keep fighting for the league, even if the path is clearly difficult. Mundo Deportivo and Real Madrid’s official site both highlighted Huijsen’s post-match insistence that the title race is still alive as long as the math allows it.

That is why this feels like more than a routine postgame quote. Real Madrid ended a four-match winless run in all competitions by beating Alavés, moving to 73 points in second place, six behind Barcelona before the leaders’ home match against Celta Vigo on Wednesday. In other words, the pressure has not disappeared, but Madrid at least gave themselves a reason to keep pushing.

Dean Huijsen delivers the right Real Madrid message

Huijsen’s comments landed because they sounded exactly like what Madridistas want to hear at this stage of the season. He said the team has to “win every game” and “fight for the League,” while also admitting the performance against Alavés dipped in stretches after a strong start. That mix of ambition and self-criticism matters. It was not blind optimism. It was a clear acknowledgment that Madrid did enough to win, but not enough to feel fully comfortable about where the team is.

He also pointed to something important about the match itself. Huijsen said Alavés were playing for their lives and that Real Madrid had to match that intensity. That is a revealing line, because it gets to the heart of Madrid’s recent problem. This team still has elite talent, but too often it has needed tension or trouble to fully lock in. Against a relegation-threatened opponent, Huijsen was basically admitting that the emotional level has to be higher from the start.

Why Dean Huijsen’s voice matters right now

What makes the moment more interesting is who is saying it. Huijsen is still only 21 and in his first season at the club, yet he has already become a regular enough figure to speak with some authority after matches. Real Madrid signed him from Bournemouth in May 2025 on a deal through 2030, and his official player page shows he has already made 36 appearances this season, with 2 goals and 1 assist. For a first-year defender at this club, that is a meaningful role.

That context gives his words more weight. Huijsen is not a veteran trying to steady the room after a rough week, but he is also no longer just a new signing finding his feet. He has played enough to understand the standards, and his reaction after Alavés suggested he already gets one of Real Madrid’s core rules: if there is still a chance, however slim, the club has to behave as if the race is still on. That is as much about identity as it is about points. This is an inference based on his comments, his role this season, and Madrid’s competitive position.

The title race is still unlikely, but not over

Madrid’s reality is still harsh. Barcelona remain ahead on 79 points, while Madrid have 73 after playing one more game, and Barça host Celta on Wednesday. So Huijsen’s message should not be confused with control. Real Madrid do not control the race. What they control is whether they keep enough pressure on the table to make the next few weeks interesting.

That is why Huijsen’s wording matters. He did not promise a comeback. He did not pretend the gap was small. He framed it the only credible way: win everything possible, then see what happens. For Real Madrid, that is the right tone. It respects the difficulty of the situation without giving the season away early.

What changed against Alaves

The result itself was important because it finally stopped the slide. Reuters reported that Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 30th minute and Vinicius Jr. added a second shortly after halftime before Toni Martínez pulled one back deep into stoppage time. The scoreline reflected a familiar Madrid issue: plenty of quality, long stretches of control, and then a finish that still left room for nerves.

Huijsen’s own analysis matched that pattern. He said Madrid started well but “at times” dropped off, which is exactly the kind of detail fans will keep watching over the run-in. It is one thing to stay alive in the title race. It is another to look convincing enough to punish any slip from Barcelona. Right now, Madrid have managed the first part better than the second.

What this means for Real Madrid

The biggest takeaway is that Madrid still have a pulse, and players inside the squad are speaking that way publicly. Huijsen’s comments were not dramatic, but they were useful. They set the standard for the final stretch: no excuses, no early surrender, and no pretending that a narrow win fixes everything. For supporters, that is probably the most honest place this team can be right now.

It also opens up the next layer of stories Madrid fans will follow closely over the coming days. If Barcelona drop points, Huijsen’s message instantly becomes louder. If they do not, then the focus shifts toward whether Real Madrid can at least finish with authority, and what this run says about the squad’s mentality under pressure. Huijsen’s place in the defense, the balance around Mbappé and Vinicius, and the team’s consistency from one match to the next are all now part of the same conversation. This is an inference based on the standings, the schedule, and Huijsen’s post-match reaction.

That is what makes this a worthwhile moment for Madridistas to track beyond the headline. Huijsen is emerging as more than a talented young defender; he is starting to sound like a player who understands the pressure and language of the club. And in a week when Real Madrid badly needed clarity, Dean Huijsen gave them exactly that: keep winning, keep believing, and force the league to prove you wrong.

Sources Used:

• Mundo Deportivo
• Real Madrid
• Reuters
• LaLiga