The Blancos dropped points after an uninspiring display at Estadio de Vallecas.
Rayo Vallecano held Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw in their La Liga game on Sunday. The visitors failed to build on their solid start to the game as Rayo ended a run of three consecutive defeats.
What happened?
Real Madrid surprised their opponents with an early goal when Joselu found the back of the net in the third minute. A quick counter-attack from the Blancos saw Federico Valverde send a searching low cross into the box, where Joselu made it 1-0 with a precise finish.
Rayo’s reaction was quick as they made several attempts to score the equalizer. The hosts finally made it 1-1 through Raul de Tomas’ penalty in the 27th minute.
The goal forced Real Madrid to put more bodies forward. But the Blancos’ attacks lacked enough edge to open up Rayo’s defensive structure. Carlo Ancelotti made three changes to his lineup in the second period, but the Blancos still looked too exhausted to restore their lead.
Dani Carvajal, who came off the bench in the 75th minute, received two yellow cards in the span of two minutes and was sent off just before the final whistle.
Real Madrid’s draw provides a chance for Girona to close the gap at the top of the La Liga standings to three points by beating Athletic Bilbao tomorrow.
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid: Man of the Match
Valverde deserves the Man of the Match title for his excellent display in Real Madrid’s midfield. The Spaniard provided an assist for Joselu’s opener while maintaining an astounding 90% passing accuracy throughout the game.
Player Ratings
Rayo Vallecano: Dimitrievski (6), Balliu (6), Hernandez (6), Lejeune (7), Espino (6), Palazon (5), Lopez (6), Valentin (7), Garcia (7), De Tomas (7), Trejo (6).
Bench: De Frutos (5), Crespo (7), Perez (6), Falcao (6), Camello (6).
Real Madrid: Lunin (6), Vazquez (7), Tchouameni (6), Nacho (6), Garcia (7), Valverde (8), Camavinga (7), Modric (7), Diaz (7), Vinicius Jr (5), Joselu (7).
Bench: Carvajal (4), Kroos (7), Rodrygo (6), Guler (5).
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