Madrid crashes in Vallecas and Barcelona remains in the lead

Real Madrid relinquished the lead in the Spanish league with a 3-2 loss to Rayo Vallecano on Monday, only their first domestic league defeat this season.

The reigning champions of Spain offered one of their worst versions of the path against the modest club on the outskirts of the capital.

The merengue team gave up on first place and got stuck with 32 units and is now Barcelona’s escort. On Saturday, the azulgranas beat Almería 2-0 for the 13th round, reaching 34 points.

It was the third straight win – and the fifth day without a defeat – for Rayo, who moved up to eighth place with 21 points. Rayo opened the championship with a 0-0 victory at Barça.

Rayo have only celebrated their second win against Madrid in their last 21 matches between neighboring clubs. Real Madrid had won 19 of those games, with the last defeat dating back to 2019.

Óscar Trejo scored the victory with a penalty in the 67th minute after the intervention of the VAR confirmed a handball by Dani Carvajal inside the area.

Trejo’s first shot was saved by the merengue goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, but the VAR intervened again as Courtois would put his foot in front of the line before the charge was made.

The locals scored first with a goal from Santiago Comesaña after five minutes, but Real overturned the goal with a Luka Modric penalty in the 37th and Eder Militao with a header in the 41st minute. Álvaro García equalized for Rayo shortly before the break.

Barcelona can ensure they go to the league break for the World Cup in Qatar on Tuesday as a leader if they win their visit to Osasuna. Meanwhile, Madrid will face Cadiz on Thursday.

Merengue’s team proved ineffective once again by not counting on Karim Benzema for the third consecutive day – sixth in the competition – due to physical discomfort.

The French striker, winner of the last Ballon d’Or, has missed eight games in all competitions this season and without him on the pitch Madrid have suffered both setbacks in all competitions.

Comesaña sent the locals’ first shot on goal from the edge of the area into the net after a Fran García pass from the wing.

The meringues reacted to Modric’s penalty after referee Juan Martínez Munuera appealed to VAR. He reported a foul committed on Marco Asensio.

Militao momentarily puts the Whites ahead with a superb header from Asensio’s corner cross.

They were one of the few sparks of Madrid in the first half of Madrid. And Garcia equalized for the hosts with a powerful shot just as he was about to start recovery before half-time.

Hours before this result was given, Real Madrid learned that Liverpool will be their next rival in the round of 16 of the Champions League, with which they will experience a reissue of the last final won by the meringues to extend their record of continental titles.