Playing for 90
Fansided

Ancelotti’s men miss golden opportunity to go top of LaLiga table

By Zoheb Alam

Joselu Mato of Real Madrid laments a lost opportunity during Sunday's game against Rayo Valecano. (Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Joselu Mato of Real Madrid laments a lost opportunity during Sunday's game against Rayo Valecano. (Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) /
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Andrei Ratiu of Rayo Vallecano (left) pesters Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid during their LaLiga match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. (Photo by David S.Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Andrei Ratiu of Rayo Vallecano (left) pesters Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid during their LaLiga match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. (Photo by David S.Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images) /

Rayo Vallecano halts Real Madrid momentum

After winning El Clasico, Real Madrid’s quest for the La Liga summit suffered an unexpected setback as they were held to a goalless draw by Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In a pulsating display, Real Madrid stormed into the game with unparalleled energy, showcasing remarkable zeal right from the kickoff. Both Vinicius Jr. and Federico Valverde dazzled as they relentlessly penetrated Rayo Vallecano’s defensive lines.

On the flip side, Carlo Ancelotti’s men were erratic on the ball as they gave away possession in their own half, though they were not punished by the Rayo frontline.

Joselu had the best chance to break the deadlock when the Spaniard was provided a neat pass by Vinicius Junior but he was unable to turn it back into the net.

During the scoreless opening 45 minutes, the home team struggled to find the back of the net against their capital neighbors, despite several good chances.

The latter half of the game saw Madrid continue their hunt for a goal as Vinicius Junior kept making inroads inside the Rayo final third. The Brazilian forward made a valiant attempt, only to have his tap-in goal disallowed due to an offside call.

With both teams standing at 0-0, “Los Blancos” were arguably the frustrated batch in the Bernabeu. The chance to topple Girona from first place went begging for the hosts who had to settle for a goalless draw.

Antonio Rudiger added to Real Madrid’s woes as he ended up picking up a yellow in stoppage time meaning the German international will now miss the next league fixture against Valencia at home on Nov. 16.

Dropping points at home will now see Real Madrid retain the second spot in the La Liga table. Los Merengues’ lead over arch-rivals Barcelona was narrowed to just 2 points after Barça secured a crucial victory against Real Sociedad Saturday night.

Next. Can Madrid acquire Mbappe on a free?. dark

Real Madrid next makes a swift return to Champions League football as they gear up for a Wednesday clash against Portugal’s Braga.

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