Real Madrid rebounded from their recent setback against Real Betis with a commanding 4–1 victory over cross-town rivals Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. The emphatic win draws Jose Mourinho’s side level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona, applying pressure ahead of the champions’ Sunday fixture against Levante.
The home side established control early in the encounter, opening the scoring after 14 minutes. Rayo defender Florian Lejeune brought down Álvaro Carreras inside the penalty area, prompting the referee to point straight to the spot. Kylian Mbappé stepped up and coolly dispatched the spot-kick, sending goalkeeper Emil Audero the wrong way.
Real doubled their advantage shortly after through a slick combination move involving Mbappé. Following relentless pressure from Vinícius Júnior that forced Lejeune into losing possession, Carreras exchanged a sharp one-two with Mbappé before finishing precisely into the net.
Before the interval, Real Madrid added a third. Record signing Yan Diomande, making his first start for the club, showed glimpses of his talent with a blistering run down the right flank, though his final effort flew over the crossbar. It was Vinícius who set up the third goal, driving down the left wing before laying off a precise pass for Jude Bellingham. The English midfielder made no mistake, slotting home his third goal of the campaign to reward his fine early-season form.
Rayo Vallecano, sitting 15th in the league standings, launched a spirited response early in the second half. In the 51st minute, Sergio Camello dispossessed Vinícius in midfield and surged forward to beat Thibaut Courtois with a clinical finish. The strike marked Camello’s sixth goal of the season, bringing him level with Barcelona’s Raphinha and Mbappé at the top of the La Liga scoring charts.
Rayo pushed to narrow the gap further, with Pedro Díaz striking the woodwork and both Giorgi Tsitaishvili and Lejeune forcing sharp saves from Courtois. To regain control of the tempo, Mourinho introduced Turkish midfielder Arda Güler. The substitution paid dividends in injury time when Güler threaded a fine pass to Mbappé, who drove a low, angled shot past Audero for his second of the match and seventh overall across all competitions this season.
Real Madrid now prepare to travel to Elche on Tuesday, while Rayo Vallecano return home to host Espanyol. Elsewhere in La Liga action on Saturday, third-placed Alavés suffered a 2–1 defeat at Racing Santander, Espanyol earned a 2–0 away victory at Osasuna, and Athletic Bilbao were held to a 1–1 draw by Elche.
