Madrid failed in its attempt to become the leader in Vallecas by only being able to draw and be one point behind Barcelona in a match in which it made gross errors in defense and in which it allowed itself to be equalized after having overcome a two-goal deficit in a reaction of more courage than good play.
The start couldn’t have been worse for the whites with a horrible staging and a lineup totally conditioned by injuries. With Mbappé out of the squad, Vinícius stayed on the bench, where Camavinga was also there despite the fact that Ancelotti commented the day before that he was ready to play. Ceballos was not in the center of the field either, but Arda Gúler was. Tchouaméni maintained his position in the center of defense. The feeling is that Raúl Asencio’s presence has been ephemeral.
Madrid had already not won in their last two visits to Vallecas and did not come out with the batteries on. He seemed to take the game as a joke and on the center kick Güler tried to score the goal from the center circle.
The first time
Rayo scored two goals in two headers
It was a frivolity that immediately worsened because Rayo scored practically on their first approach, in the fourth minute, a play in which De Frutos tied Fran García in a knot and Unai López headed in unopposed, with several Madrid players watching.
The first half hour for the whites was to make them look. Rayo took shelter behind and looked for the counterattack but when they combined they put Madrid in serious trouble, unable to put together a good play. Everything got worse for Ancelotti’s team with a corner kick from Isi in the 37th minute and a new header now from an unmarked central defender, Munim. Madrid was very affected and reacted with fury in an attack with many people already desperate.
Until then he had not found a way to do damage but he found the goal in the only possible way, a low and placed right foot outside the area from Valverde that entered between a forest of legs. Madrid had smelled blood and Rayo collapsed. Already in the added time, a cross from Rodrygo was headed into the net by Bellingham to reach the break with 2-2. The English thing is tremendous. In the last eight games he has scored seven goals from all possible goals. Right now there is no player more on a roll.
Bellinham
Seven goals in eight games
The second half began without a change of players but it was seen that the game had turned for Madrid, which started very intense against a Rayo team that was the same as in the last minutes of the first half.
After a goal disallowed by Güler due to clear offside, it didn’t take much for Madrid to score the third, a left-footed shot from Rodrygo that ended up being poisoned because it touched the foot of full-back Ratiu and created an impossible parabola for Batalla. Rodrygo had not scored in the league since September 24.
But the game was not yet won for Madrid. Iñigo Pérez introduced changes and his team improved. Ancelotti started Vinícius for Brahim, but Rayo tied in the 64th minute with a shot by Lejeune that Isi Palazón managed to deflect with the tip of his boot.
Vinícius
He saw yellow for protesting and will not play against Sevilla
Camavinga entered for Luka Modric. Vinícius immediately earned an absurd card for protesting angrily and asking for a yellow card for an opponent. He will miss the next game against Sevilla. Then he wildly asked for a penalty. Vinícius in its purest form.
Endrick and Ceballos came on and Batalla took Vinícius’ goal with a great save in the 84th minute. That was Madrid’s swan song because they no longer had clear chances and there was a lot of confusion in the game. Rayo savored the draw as a great victory and Madrid left Vallecas for another year with the feeling of having gone through a via crucis.
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