Álvaro Arbeloa’s side stay within one point of leaders Barcelona after a chaotic finish at the Bernabéu featuring two red cards.
Real Madrid kept the pressure firmly on Barcelona with a pulse-pounding 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano this Sunday. In a match that had everything from a goal of the season contender to late red card drama the Merengues proved they have the resilience to hunt down the top spot in La Liga.
Vini Jr. Stuns the Bernabéu
The match began with a moment of pure Brazilian magic. In the 15th minute, Vinícius Júnior reminded the world why he is a Ballon d’Or heavyweight. Receiving the ball on the flank, he danced past his marker before unleashing a sublime strike into the top corner. It was a goal that defined Real Madrid’s early dominance and set the stadium alight.
Rayo Fight Back & Late Drama
Despite the hosts controlling possession, Rayo Vallecano refused to buckle. Just after the break, Jorge de Frutos stunned the home crowd with an equalizer in the 49th minute.
As the game reached its final stages, the tension boiled over. Rayo were reduced to 10 men in the 80th minute after Pathé Ciss received a red card. With the clock ticking into eight minutes of stoppage time, Real Madrid earned a crucial penalty. Kylian Mbappé stepped up, showing nerves of steel to bury the spot-kick and secure the three points.
The drama didn’t end there; Rayo’s Pep Chavarría was also sent off in the aftermath, leaving the visitors with nine men as the final whistle blew.
The Title Race Intensity
With this result, Real Madrid moves to 54 points, just a single point behind Barcelona (55 pts). While Barça currently leads the way, Arbeloa’s men have sent a clear message that the race for the trophy will go down to the wire.
Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano’s defeat sees them slip to 17th place, hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone.
Match Summary: Real Madrid 2-1 Rayo Vallecano
- Goals: Vini Jr. (15′), Mbappé (90+2′ P) | De Frutos (49′).
- Red Cards: Pathé Ciss (80′), Pep Chavarría (90+5′).
- Next Fixture: Real Madrid travel to face Valencia at the Mestalla next Sunday (Feb 8th).
Gabriel Lucio is a football analyst covering La Liga, focusing on match analysis, tactical trends, and the race for domestic and European positions.
