Rayo Vallecano-Real Madrid 3-2: first league defeat for Ancelotti

First thud and overtaking consumed for Ancelotti’s gang, which comes out of Vallecas with broken bones. The Blancos fall 3-2 in an evening decided by the episodes, the interventions of the Var and a great performance by the hosts. Trejo’s decisive penalty (repeated after Courtois’ first save) condemns Real after twelve unbeaten days and delivers the provisional La Liga record to Barça, now alone first with two points. Madrid yields after having even overturned it with a one-two from Modric and Militao. Rayo, on the other hand, enjoys yet another feat of an amazing first part of the season and, after having scored points also against the Catalans and against Atletico, moves to just three points from the Champions League.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

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Ancelotti must renounce Benzema and Rudiger (injured) in addition to the disqualified Kroos. Same number of absentees also for Iraola, forced to replace Pozo, Andrés and Nteka. But Madrid suffer the most, also victim of a soft approach like in Leipzig. As against the Germans, Ancelotti’s team is attacked at a frenetic pace with very fast ball-to-ground plots and feels the blow. The hosts have the merit of taking advantage of the first opportunity, after just 5 ‘, to break the balance thanks to a perfect first intention left foot by Comesana and it doesn’t end there. Real struggles against a Rayo who sinks the blow without giving a breath. To keep the shack up is only a great Courtois, prodigious in three circumstances. To change the inertia and reverse the course it would only take an invention or a favorable episode, exactly what happens in the 33rd minute: Asensio’s cue in the middle of the opponent’s area leads to a foul Alvaro, who is punished only after the call from the room Var allowing Modric to restore balance.

SUPER LIGHTNING

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A godsend for Real, who a few minutes later even manages to overturn it on a corner kick thanks to Militao, quick to pick up a center from Asensio. The one-two of the Blancos, however, is not enough to weaken the spirit of the hosts. Iraola’s gang returns to push and press high, attacks every loose ball and insists until they find the balance before the rest with a tremendous blow from Alvaro, who folds Courtois’s hands with a left on the near post after a confused hit and counter in area. The pace does not drop even after the rest, thanks to a Rayo who travels at a thousand an hour and makes Courtois tremble with the attempts of Comesana and Camello. The twist (double) arrives in the 65th minute, with the Var and the referee who this time punish Real by rewarding the resourcefulness of the hosts: penalty for a touch of the hand by Carvajal and a goal by Trejo after the ordered repetition from Munuera due to an incorrect starting position of Courtois. The hosts hold their ground even in the hot final minutes, when Iraola is thrown out for some too many protests, while the Blancos (tonight dressed in black) never manage to really worry Dimitrievski. The music for Ancelotti’s band does not change even with the entries of Camavinga, Lucas Vazquez and Mariano. The confirmation that the evening is marked finally arrives at 90 ‘, when Rodrygo sends high one meter from the line to the delight of the Vallecas audience.