Real Madrid dropped crucial points in the La Liga title race after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de Vallecas on Sunday night.
Gatekeepers News reports that the result leaves Los Blancos vulnerable at the top, giving Barcelona and Villarreal the chance to narrow the gap in the coming fixtures.
Despite dominating possession and creating several clear-cut chances, Madrid failed to find a way past an organized and spirited Rayo side that defended with determination and discipline. The home team contained Real’s star trio — Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham — who were kept unusually quiet throughout the encounter.
The stalemate came just days after Madrid’s midweek Champions League defeat at Anfield, compounding a frustrating week for Xabi Alonso’s men. The league leaders have now dropped points for only the second time this season.
Speaking after the match, Alonso admitted his side lacked sharpness but urged calm, “We’re Real Madrid — the standards are always high. We must keep improving, stay self-critical, and push ourselves forward. There’s still a long road ahead.”
Rayo started brightly, with Andrei Ratiu testing Thibaut Courtois early on before Madrid took control. Vinicius had a close-range effort superbly parried by goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, while Raul Asencio missed a golden opportunity to put Rayo ahead with a header that went inches wide.
Rayo’s resilience frustrated Madrid’s rhythm. Bellingham and Valverde tried to break through with long-range efforts, but Batalla stood firm with a string of crucial saves. Mbappe, who had been largely isolated, came alive on the hour mark, flashing a low strike narrowly past the far post.
In the dying moments, substitute Arda Guler almost grabbed the winner when his deflected shot spun just wide, but Rayo held on to claim a valuable point — their first clean sheet against Madrid since 2018.
Goalkeeper Batalla praised his side’s resolve after the match, saying, “We knew we had to double our effort against a team like Madrid. They pushed hard, but we stayed compact and believed until the end.”
With this result, Real Madrid remain top of the table but only five points clear of Villarreal and six ahead of Barcelona, who face Celta Vigo next.
