Real Madrid 2 – 1 Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano gave Real Madrid a tough fight on their home turf.
Real Madrid appeared to be in control after scoring twice in four minutes, but they soon lost their rhythm. Seizing the opportunity, Rayo Vallecano launched relentless attacks and managed to pull one goal back before halftime. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t find an equalizer. Though lacking sharpness in the second half, Carlo Ancelotti’s side secured a hard-fought victory.
Real Madrid clinched a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday. Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior scored for the hosts in the first half, while Pedro Díaz netted the lone goal for the visitors.
This win ended Real Madrid’s three-match winless streak against Vallecano, as their previous three league encounters had all ended in draws.
Earlier this month, Madrid had suffered a 2-1 defeat at Real Betis. With this victory, they returned to form, reclaiming second place in the league table with 57 points from 27 matches.
Barcelona, with the same number of points, leads the table due to their superior head-to-head record. However, they have played one game fewer than Real Madrid.
Once again, Vallecano made life difficult for the defending champions. While Madrid dominated possession in the first half, the game shifted after the break, with Vallecano asserting control. In terms of shots on goal, Vallecano outperformed Madrid across both halves.
Madrid took 10 shots, with five on target, while Vallecano fired 20 shots, six of which were on target.
Vallecano had the first real chance of the match. Defender Aridane Hernández’s header off a corner narrowly missed the crossbar.
Minutes later, Real Madrid had two golden opportunities in quick succession. In the 14th minute, Vinícius unleashed a powerful long-range strike, forcing a diving save from the goalkeeper. The ball deflected off his hand onto the post. Mbappé had a chance on the rebound but sent a weak shot straight to the keeper.
Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin came to the rescue in the 27th minute, making a diving save to deny Andrei Rațiu’s curling effort.
Four minutes later, the hosts struck twice in quick succession.
In the 30th minute, Mbappé sprinted into the box, beat a defender, and powered a shot past the far post to give Madrid the lead. This marked his 18th goal in his debut La Liga season. Only Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski has more, with 21 goals.
Vinícius then doubled Madrid’s lead with a brilliant solo effort. After receiving a pass from Luka Modrić, the Brazilian initially struggled to find space for a shot inside the box. He dribbled out, kept his composure, re-entered the penalty area, weaved past defenders, and fired a low shot past the near post.
Just when Madrid seemed set to go into halftime with a comfortable lead, Vallecano struck back in stoppage time. Pedro Díaz’s thunderous shot ricocheted off the crossbar and crossed the goal line. After a VAR review, the referee confirmed the goal.
Vallecano, already more aggressive in front of goal, entered the second half with renewed confidence. Meanwhile, Madrid’s players appeared fatigued. To inject energy, Ancelotti made his first change in the 68th minute, replacing Rodrygo with Federico Valverde.
About ten minutes later, he substituted Mbappé and later brought off Jude Bellingham, introducing Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Díaz. Despite the fresh legs, Madrid’s attack remained sluggish.
In the 75th minute, Vinícius had a clear chance to seal the win. Modrić’s pass from the left found him in a perfect position, but his shot went wide.
With this defeat, Vallecano remains in seventh place with 36 points from 27 matches.
Earlier in the day, Atlético Madrid had a chance to reach the top of the table but suffered a setback, losing to Getafe. Diego Simeone’s side now sits third with 56 points from 27 matches.
