Real held to goalless draw at Rayo as La Liga title race tightens

Real Madrid tasted their first defeat of the season in all competitions on Tuesday in the Champions League, losing 1-0 to Liverpool. Just three days later, they dropped points in La Liga against Rayo Vallecano.

Xabi Alonso’s men were held to a goalless draw on Sunday in Vallecas after a colourless performance. With this result, their grip on the La Liga summit loosened as arch-rivals Barcelona can move within reach again with a win away at Celta Vigo.

Los Blancos attempted a total of 21 shots with 54 percent possession but managed only five on target, while Rayo registered only two on target from 13 attempts.

Arda Güler tested Batalla early with a 3rd-minute strike from outside the box. In the 20th minute, Andrei Ratiu missed a golden chance for Rayo, shooting straight at Thibaut Courtois despite having an unmarked teammate in front of goal.

Two minutes later, Vinicius Junior’s dipping effort was kept out by Batalla’s sharp reflexes. Raul Asensio then failed to convert a close-range header in the 23rd minute. Neither side produced notable chances afterward in the first half.

The tempo increased after the break. Jorge de Frutos’ shot went wide from a tight angle in the 50th minute, while Güler missed by inches three minutes later. In the 55th, Jude Bellingham’s near-post effort was denied by Batalla again.

Real kept pressing but struggled to create clear openings inside the box. Fede Valverde’s 69th-minute long-range strike was pushed away by Batalla, and Éder Militão’s 87th-minute header was also gathered by the Rayo keeper. Güler’s final attempt in added time deflected wide.

With the draw, Real Madrid still remain top with 31 points from 12 matches. Villarreal sit second with 26 from 12, while defending champions Barcelona are third with 25 from 11. They will play against Celta Vigo with an eye to narrowing the gap at the top.