Real Madrid’s La Liga Lead Narrows After 1-1 Draw Against Rayo Vallecano

Real Madrid faced a stumbling block in their quest for the La Liga title as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano. Despite taking an early lead with Mato Joselu’s goal in the second minute, Carlo Ancelotti’s squad missed the chance to widen the gap to eight points, now standing six points ahead of second-placed Girona. Raul de Tomas leveled the score for Rayo Vallecano with a penalty in the 27th minute after Eduardo Camavinga was penalized for handball.

Rayo Vallecano, under the guidance of debutant coach Inigo Perez, showcased an impressive performance, earning a crucial point against the league leaders. In a dramatic twist, Real Madrid’s right-back Dani Carvajal received two yellow cards in injury time, leading to his suspension for the upcoming home game against Sevilla.

Meanwhile, Barcelona secured a late 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo on Saturday, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a twice-taken 97th-minute penalty. Atletico Madrid displayed dominance with a 5-0 win against Las Palmas, featuring Marcos Llorente and Angel Correa both scoring twice. Real Sociedad secured a 2-1 win away to Mallorca with Mikel Merino’s injury-time header.

The weekend also witnessed a goalless draw between Real Betis and Alaves, adding to Betis’ recent struggles. The clash between Granada and Almeria ended in a 1-1 draw, impacting both teams’ relegation battle. Valencia, despite dominating at home to Sevilla, couldn’t find a breakthrough, as visiting keeper Orjan Nyland made crucial saves to secure a point.

In other matches, Osasuna defeated Cadiz 2-0, extending the visitors’ winless run to 21 games. Ante Budimir scored both goals in the second half. The round of La Liga matches commenced with a 1-1 draw between Villarreal and Getafe on Friday night. The league continues to provide football enthusiasts with unpredictable twists and turns as the competition intensifies.

–IANS