Real Madrid took an early lead but was held to a 1-1 draw by Rayo Vallecano as their attack struggled for the majority of the match in La Liga’s 25th round. Once again, Real Madrid faced frustration against Rayo Vallecano, despite the teams’ contrasting form, leading up to the city derby.

Real Madrid, riding high on confidence, aimed for a victory at Vallecas to widen the gap with second-placed Girona, who faced Bilbao away. Joselu put Carlo Ancelotti’s squad ahead in less than 3 minutes, with the referee initially flagging offside but later confirming the goal after VAR review.

Although Real Madrid controlled the game, a mistake by Camavinga, leading to a handball and a penalty for Rayo Vallecano, allowed Raul de Tomas to equalize from the spot, marking his first goal of the season against his former team.

With their attack stifled for over 60 minutes, despite Ancelotti’s tactical adjustments, Real Madrid had to settle for a 1-1 result. This marks the third consecutive match in which the Spanish giants have failed to secure a victory against Vallecano.