Real Madrid 2-1 Sevilla: 5 hits and flops as Vinicius Junior wonder goal secures late win for Los Blancos | La Liga 2021-22

Hit: Rafa Mir (Sevilla)

The Spaniard struck his fifth league goal of the season.

Rafa Mir of Sevilla played a perfectly-placed header beyond Real Madrid custodian Thibaut Courtois to give the visitors an unlikely lead at the Santiago Bernabeu. It was his fifth league goal of the season.

After watching his initial corner come to nothing, Marcos Acuna quickly took a second. That found Mir inside the box, who was also the beneficiary of some poor man-marking from Real Madrid.

Mir had all the time to contort his body and aim his header into the far post beyond the despairing dive of Courtois. However, he would be frustrated to see another effort cleared shortly thereafter.

Daniel Carvajal sloppily gave the ball to Mir just moments after Sevilla's opener. Mir successfully rounded Courtois and fired at goal, but David Alaba cleared his effort on the line.

Either way, Mir was a huge menace to Real Madrid on the night.

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Flop: Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid)

Daniel Carvajal gave the ball away to Mir in the first half.

It's no secret that Daniel Carvajal is no longer the force he once was. But his performance against Sevilla last night was still well below his usual standards.

Carvajal surged forward at will, but those runs largely came to nothing. He even calamitously gave the ball away to Mir, but Alaba bailed him out with a timely goal-line clearance.

Alejandro Gomez then made Carvajal look like a training cone by cutting inside from the left early into the second half before taking a shot. Sevilla's press clearly unsettled Carvajal, and the Spaniard went into the referee's books with an ill-timed challenge on Acuna.

If that wasn't enough, the Spaniard was seen limping off in the dying moments of normal time with a potential injury.

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Hit: David Alaba (Real Madrid)

David Alaba was a force to reckon with in Real Madrid's defence.

David Alaba has been a fine addition to Real Madrid's defence this summer. He produced another masterclass at the heart of their backline against Sevilla on Sunday.

Alaba made a vital clearance off the line to deny Mir a second goal and prevent Sevilla from doubling their lead. He also made his presence felt at the other end.

The Austrian attempted two shots - as many as Marcos Alonso, a winger, did - with his second, in particular, being a close one. It was a volley from a set-piece. Alaba struck it with immense technique and power with his left foot, but the shot flew narrowly over the crossbar.