Real Madrid recovered from being without Kylian Mbappe through injury and falling two goals behind to draw 3-3 at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, missing the chance to go top of LaLiga.
Mbappe suffered a hamstring injury during Madrid’s 3-2 win at Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday, and the reigning Spanish champions made a dreadful start in the striker’s absence as Unai Lopez opened the scoring for the hosts after four minutes and Abdul Mumin doubled their advantage with a header nine minutes before the break.
After conceding twice from headers, Madrid produced the goal of the half when Federico Valverde struck from 25 yards five minutes before half-time.
Jude Bellingham then powerfully glanced in Rodrygo’s cross with seconds of regular time remaining to level the scores at the break and score in a sixth consecutive game.
Jude Bellingham cannot stop scoring 🔥🔥
That’s goals in 6 straight LALIGA games for the Real Madrid and England star 🏴 pic.twitter.com/OhTid9sstA
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) December 14, 2024
Madrid must have felt their comeback had been completed when Rodrygo fired in 11 minutes after the break, only for Florian Lejeune’s long-range effort to take a deflection off team-mate Isi Palazon and deceive visiting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois seven minutes later.
The Champions League holders are a point behind Barcelona with 17 games played for both of the top two. Atletico Madrid, who are a point behind their city rivals in third, play their game in hand at home to 15th-placed Getafe on Sunday (1pm GMT).
Bundesliga results: Bayern lose at Mainz
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich suffered their first league defeat under Vincent Kompany with a 2-1 defeat at Mainz, who rose to sixth with their latest home win following victories over Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim at the Mewa Arena.
South Korea forward Lee Jae-sung struck in the 41st and 60th minutes, although Leroy Sane replied three minutes from time for Bayern, whose injury absentees include Bundesliga top scorer and England captain Harry Kane.
GET IN THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU LOVE TO SEE IT!!! 😍#Mainz05 #M05FCB pic.twitter.com/iLQzm3Yp1z
— Mainz 05 English (@Mainz05en) December 14, 2024
Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen closed the gap at the top to four points by winning 2-0 at Augsburg through goals from Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz, although Eintracht Frankfurt will move a point above Xabi Alonso’s side if they win at Leipzig on Sunday (6.30pm GMT).
Elsewhere, Borussia Monchengladbach went 10th with a 4-1 home win over second-bottom Holstein Kiel, while Werder Bremen are seventh after a 2-0 victory at fourth-bottom St Pauli.
Union Berlin remain 12th after equalising in a 1-1 draw at home to bottom side Bochum, who had Koji Miyoshi dismissed in the 13th minute with the score goalless.
More to follow from across Ligue 1 and Serie A
