MADRID — La Liga leaders Real Madrid was held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at lowly city rivals Rayo Vallecano as Joselu’s early strike was cancelled out by Raul de Tomas’ penalty, a result that could spice up the title race with surprise package Girona.
Last-place Almeria made history for the wrong reason by becoming the first team to go 28 straight games without a league win.
Almeria drew 1-1 at Granada for its 25th consecutive winless game this season. It also hadn’t won its last three matches last season.
Joselu put Madrid ahead only three minutes into the match against its southern Madrid rival, but the hosts equalized through Raul de Tomas in the 27th.
The draw moved Madrid six points clear of second-place Girona, which visits fifth-place Athletic Bilbao.
Third-place Barcelona, which won 2-1 at Celta Vigo with a stoppage-time penalty kick converted by Robert Lewandowski, was eight points behind Madrid. Fourth-place Atletico Madrid, which routed Las Palmas 5-0 at home, was 11 points off the lead.
It was a disappointing result for Madrid against a Rayo team that had lost three consecutive league matches and hasn’t won in seven straight.
“We want to win every game, but to win the league you can´t lose the games you can´t win,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “Sometimes there are draws that hurt, but they can be a positive step toward winning the league.”
Real Madrid remains unbeaten in its last 19 league games, with 14 wins and five draws. It failed to scored only once, in a 0-0 draw against Rayo in November.
Madrid was still without Jude Bellingham, who sprained his ankle in the win against Girona last weekend. Brahim Diaz replaced him again, playing alongside Vinícius Júnior in attack.
Luka Modric, who hasn’t started often this season, was in midfield, while Aurélien Tchouameni again improvised as a central defender alongside Nacho Hernandez.
Toni Kroos came off the bench in the second half to make his 450th appearance with Madrid.
Rayo was debuting coach Inigo Perez, the 36-year-old former midfielder who is on his first stint as a head coach. He replaced Francisco Rodriguez following a run of poor results.
The club’s winless streak at home is now at 10 consecutive games. It sits in 14th place, eight points from the relegation zone.
Madrid right back Dani Carvajal, who entered the match in the 75th, was sent off deep into stoppage time with a second yellow card.
The equaliser sparked wild celebrations among the Vallecas’ crowd, with the stadium roaring support for their team who have moved up a spot to 16th, eight points off the relegation places.
Missing injured England midfielder Jude Bellingham, Real were on top in the second half but kept missing chances.
The closest they got was a Toni Kroos free kick from the edge of the box that was brilliantly saved by Stole Dimitrievski who leaped to palm the ball round the post from a curling strike that was destined for the upper left corner in the 80th minute.
The disgruntled visitors were reduced to 10 men in added time when 75th minute substitute Dani Carvajal was shown two yellow cards in two minutes.
WINLESS ALMERIA
Almeria surpassed the streak of 27 games without a league win that Levante recorded in 2021 and 2022. The worst winless run in a single season had belonged to Sporting Gijon.
Almeria, a Saudi-owned club, went ahead through Marc Pubill in the ninth minute but the hosts equalized with Myrto Uzuni’s goal in the 75th.
Granada is second-to-last in the standings, ahead of Almeria and behind Cadiz, which hasn´t won in 21 straight league games this season.
