Kylian Mbappe kept his composure deep into stoppage time to convert a dramatic 100th-minute penalty, handing Real Madrid a hard-fought 2-1 victory over nine-man Rayo Vallecano in a tense La Liga derby on Sunday.
The late win allowed Los Blancos to close the gap on leaders Barcelona to just one point after the Catalans claimed victory over Elche a day earlier. Despite securing all three points, Madrid endured a turbulent evening at the Santiago Bernabeu, marked by injuries, red cards, and visible frustration from the home supporters.
Real Madrid suffered an early blow when Jude Bellingham was forced off inside the opening minutes, clutching his hamstring in clear discomfort. His exit disrupted Madrid’s rhythm, but the hosts still found an early breakthrough. Vinicius Junior opened the scoring in the 15th minute, showcasing sharp footwork before firing a powerful effort past Augusto Batalla.
Although Madrid controlled much of the first half, their performance failed to satisfy the Bernabeu crowd, who voiced their displeasure following the midweek Champions League loss to Benfica. The whistles continued at halftime despite the lead.
Rayo Vallecano responded immediately after the restart. Just four minutes into the second half, Alvaro Garcia flicked a header into the path of Jorge de Frutos, who calmly slotted home the equaliser against his former club.
The visitors nearly stunned Madrid shortly after the hour mark when Andrei Ratiu raced through on goal, only for Thibaut Courtois to produce a brilliant save to keep the score level. Moments later, Mbappe came close at the other end, striking the crossbar as Batalla rushed off his line.
Rayo’s resistance weakened when Pathe Ciss was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Dani Ceballos. Madrid piled on the pressure, with Eduardo Camavinga heading against the post as chances mounted.
With nine minutes of added time, the decisive moment finally arrived. Brahim Diaz was brought down inside the box by Nobel Mendy, and Mbappe stepped up to confidently dispatch the penalty, claiming his 22nd league goal of the season.
Rayo finished the match with nine men after Pep Chavarria received a second yellow card for shoving Rodrygo.
Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa praised his team’s mentality but admitted improvement is needed. “Quality alone isn’t enough — consistency is everything,” he said, adding that Bellingham’s injury could be a “big absence” if confirmed serious.
Midfielder Federico Valverde echoed the sentiment, stressing the need for calmer, more controlled performances moving forward.
The victory gives Madrid momentum ahead of a rare two-week break, which Arbeloa believes will be crucial for improving both tactically and mentally.
