Real Madrid's bid to take the top spot in LaLiga fell short as they played out a goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday.
Real Madrid's recent 2-1 Clásico win showcased their title aspirations, and they aimed to surpass Girona in the standings with a win. Federico Valverde nearly broke the deadlock early, but Rayo Vallecano's Stole Dimitrievski denied him. Jude Bellingham, the Kopa Trophy winner, briefly left the game due to an injury scare but returned after treatment.
Real Madrid had numerous goal attempts throughout the match, but Joselu, Fran Garcia, and David Alaba couldn't find the target. Rayo Vallecano managed to create a few opportunities in the first half but couldn't trouble Real's defense.
Despite their dominance, Real Madrid failed to find a breakthrough. A disallowed goal by Vinicius Junior added to their frustration. While Rayo Vallecano may not have been at their best, they will celebrate the historic draw against a Spanish and European giant. Real Madrid, on the other hand, sees this as a missed opportunity to claim the league's top spot.
Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica, climbing to fifth place in La Liga. This win extended Villarreal's winless streak on home soil to four matches, with one draw and three losses.
Bilbao, determined to reclaim a European spot in La Liga after earning just five points in their last five league matches, wasted no time making their intentions clear. Within two minutes, Nico Williams delivered a precise pass to Iñigo Ruiz on the edge of the box, and the Spanish midfielder struck a sublime shot into the top corner, marking his first goal for the Basque club.
Villarreal tried to respond to Bilbao's fast start, but Étienne Capoue missed a key opportunity. Bilbao then extended their lead with two goals from the Williams brothers in just eight minutes. Nico Williams, in collaboration with Oihan Sancet, tapped the ball home, followed by Iñaki Williams scoring with a clinical finish from the edge of the box.
Villarreal attempted a late comeback, scoring two goals in the final five minutes through Gerard Moreno and Alexander Sørloth. However, it was not enough as Bilbao held on for their first away victory against Villarreal since 2018.
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