After the last-minute win in the Clasico, Real Madrid surprisingly failed to defend their lead over Girona FC with a 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano
Carlo Ancelotti made four changes from the 2-1 Clasico win in Barcelona: Fran Garcia, Camavinga, Modric and Joselu started in place of Mendy, Tchouameni, Kroos and Rodrygo.
Bellingham’s shoulder and Dimitrievski in focus
Although Fede Valverde almost gave the Whites the lead early on in the game, but was denied one-on-one by the attentive Rayo keeper Dimitrievski (6th), the game got off to a bumpy start for Real. On the one hand, a couple of lost balls helped Vallecano to put in a few pinpricks at first, while on the other, the spectators at the Santiago Bernabeu experienced a scary moment in the 10th minute: Bellingham fell awkwardly on his left shoulder after playing the ball with his chest as he fell and had to be treated for several minutes with a pained face before he was able to continue.
As the first half progressed, Ancelotti’s team increased the pressure. Joselu first missed the target with a header (26′) – and then failed to score in the closing stages before the break after Vinicius Junior had set up Dimitrievski with a strong save (39′). Shortly afterwards, Bellingham was back in the spotlight in footballing terms when he elegantly put himself in a shooting position after a set-piece situation – and only just missed (43′).
Vallecano’s bulwark holds until the end
After the break, it finally became a one-goal game, although Rayo were still well positioned, at least in the defensive center. Vinicius Junior narrowly missed after an instep pass from Modric (48′). And so it continued: Joselu headed narrowly over on the run (55′), then a supposed goal by Vinicius Junior was rightly disallowed because Joselu was offside (66′).
Joker Rodrygo narrowly missed in the closing stages (71), and Mumin just managed to block Bellingham’s shot with his shoulder (73). In the emotional, but footballingly unattractive final phase, the Whites lacked the final punch to create clear goals against a passionately defending Rayo team – and so the underdogs, now unbeaten nine times in a row, took a point from the Madrid district of Vallecas.
Real continue with two more home games – first in the Champions League on Wednesday (9pm) against Sporting Braga, then on Saturday (9pm) in La Liga against FC Valencia. The Whites will be without Rüdiger in the latter game, who picked up his 5th yellow card of the season shortly before the end against Rayo. Vallecano host surprise leaders FC Girona on Saturday (2pm).
