Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr delivered crucial first-half goals as Real Madrid edged past Rayo Vallecano with a 2-1 victory, keeping them firmly in the heated LaLiga title race. The win sees Real Madrid draw level at the top of the table, locked on 57 points with Barcelona, who lead on goal difference. Atletico Madrid, trailing by just a point, suffered a setback with a 2-1 loss to Getafe earlier in the day.
Barcelona, however, hold a game in hand after their fixture against Osasuna was postponed due to the sudden passing of their team doctor. The upcoming showdown between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid next weekend is expected to be a high-stakes encounter in this fiercely contested title race.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest key players, including goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defender Antonio Rüdiger, ahead of their crucial Champions League last-16 second-leg clash against Atletico Madrid. Despite the changes, Los Blancos dominated from the start at the Santiago Bernabeu, asserting their superiority over their city rivals.
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 30th minute, capitalizing on a swift counterattack to slot home the opener. Just four minutes later, Vinicius Jr doubled the lead with a brilliant solo effort, putting Real Madrid firmly in control. The Brazilian winger nearly added another moments later, rattling the post with a powerful strike from outside the box.
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Rayo Vallecano, however, refused to go down without a fight. In first-half stoppage time, Pedro Díaz unleashed a stunning long-range effort that struck the crossbar and bounced over the goal line before coming back out. Initially missed by the referee, the goal was eventually awarded after a VAR review, reducing Real’s lead before halftime.
The second half saw Rayo push for an equalizer, creating several promising chances. Despite their resilience, they lacked the firepower to break through Real Madrid’s defense, as the reigning LaLiga champions managed their lead effectively to secure all three points.
With the title race heating up and key fixtures on the horizon, Real Madrid remain firmly in contention for the LaLiga crown as they set their sights on European glory in the Champions League.
