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Real Madrid moved level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga after thrashing city rivals Rayo Vallecano 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, bouncing back emphatically from their shock defeat to Real Betis just eight days earlier with a dominant display that saw them race into a three-goal lead inside the opening 35 minutes.
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Kylian Mbappe scored twice, converting a first-half penalty before adding a late second in stoppage time, taking his tally to 34 goals in 36 home La Liga appearances, while also providing the assist for Alvaro Carreras’ goal shortly after his own opener, continuing a productive week in which he suggested this could finally be his year to win the Ballon d’Or.
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Jude Bellingham added Real Madrid’s third goal of the afternoon, side-footing home a cut-back from Vinicius Junior at the end of a sweeping team move to put the result beyond doubt well before half-time, capping an impressive individual performance that earned him the match’s top player rating.
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The win extends Real Madrid’s remarkable record against Rayo Vallecano at home, taking their tally to 14 victories from their last 15 meetings with the Madrid rivals, while Barcelona have the opportunity to reclaim a three-point lead at the top of the table if they beat Levante on Sunday.
September 13, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid responded to their surprise defeat against Real Betis in emphatic fashion, thrashing city rivals Rayo Vallecano 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu to move level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side wasted no time asserting their dominance, racing into a three-goal lead inside the opening 35 minutes to make it four wins from their opening five matches of the new campaign.
Mbappe Leads the Charge
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the 14th minute, sending Rayo goalkeeper Emil Audero the wrong way from the penalty spot after Alvaro Carreras had been fouled inside the area. The Frenchman, who suggested earlier in the week that this could finally be the season he wins the Ballon d’Or, wasted little time returning the favour to his teammate. Just three minutes later, Mbappe turned provider, setting up Carreras to slam home and double Real Madrid’s advantage.
Jude Bellingham then got in on the act himself, adding a third for the home side ten minutes before the break. The England international side-footed home a cut-back from Vinicius Junior at the end of a sweeping team move, capping off a dominant opening period that left Rayo with little answer.
Mbappe nearly added a fourth of his own, and a sixth of his La Liga campaign, in first-half stoppage time, only to see a fierce effort come back off the woodwork.
Rayo Fight Back, But Real Have the Final Word
Rayo Vallecano showed some resilience after the break, pulling a goal back early in the second half through Sergio Camello to briefly give the visitors something to build on. However, any hopes of a genuine comeback were extinguished in stoppage time, when Mbappe completed his brace with a low, hard finish into the far corner, sealing the 4-1 victory and rounding off an impressive individual display.
The result extended Real Madrid’s dominant recent record against their city rivals, with the win marking their 14th victory in the last 15 meetings between the two sides at the Bernabeu.
Title Race Remains Finely Poised
The comprehensive win moves Real Madrid level on points with Barcelona at the summit of La Liga, setting up an intriguing weekend in the title race. Barcelona have the chance to reclaim a three-point advantage at the top of the table if they can beat Levante in their own fixture on Sunday.
For now, though, Real Madrid have answered any questions raised by their surprise loss to Betis in the most emphatic way possible, with Bellingham’s man-of-the-match display alongside Mbappe’s clinical finishing offering a firm reminder of the attacking quality at Ancelotti’s disposal as the title race continues to take shape.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
