Rayo Vallecano prevented Real Madrid from taking provisional control of La Liga by holding the European champions to a thrilling 3-3 draw on Saturday. Real showed up against their city rivals after a hard-fought 3-2 win away to Atalanta in the Champions League in midweek. Kylian Mbappe scored his 50th goal of the competition to open the scoring in Italy only to be sidelined with a thigh injury that left the France star out of Carlo Ancelotti’s calculations for this Saturday night away in the Spanish capital.
Rayo Vallecano, on the back of a win last time out, stunned the visiting giants when Unai Lopez headed in Jorge de Fruto’s perfect cross with the game just four minutes old.
Rayo went to the death in a raucous Estadio de Vallecas, only for de Fruto’s shot to fly over the bar.
But the home side only had to wait until after the half-hour mark to double their lead with another header, this time from Abdul Mumin.
The unexpected result lasted only three minutes Fed Valverde pulled one back for Real with a stunning 25-yard strike for his fourth goal of the season.
Just as Rayo might have thought going into the break in the lead, Jude Bellingham equalized in the first minute of stoppage time in the first half.
The England international headed Rodrygo’s cross into the bottom corner for his sixth straight league goal.
Real emerged in the second half intent on completing their comeback and climbing to the top of the table, for at least 24 hours.
Arda Guler had the ball in the back of the net but Real’s Turkish teenager tried to be disallowed for offside.
Two minutes later, Rodrygo put the visitors ahead for the first time in style, the Brazilian’s cross flying into the top corner past Augusto Batalla.
Ancelotti presented Vinicius Junior, who made a comeback against Atalanta from injury and also found himself on the scoresheet against the Serie A leaders.
The sight of the fearsome forward did not come to Rayo, who seconds later removed Real’s lead when Isi Palazon connected on Florian Lejeune’s long-range tease to fox Thibaut Courtois.
That’s how the meeting ended, with Real now on 37 points, one behind Barcelona but with a game to go.
Real’s next assignment is on Wednesday, in the Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar against Mexican side Pachuca with Mbappe set to be on the plane to Doha.
Barcelona will have a chance to extend their lead at the top when they host Leganes on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid are three points behind Barcelona, who have also played a game less and have won five in a row in La Liga, going into Sunday’s home derby with Getafe.
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